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A balanced diet is crucial for athletes’ training and performance. It ensures you have the necessary fuel for maximum output. Proper nutrition also reduces your risk of injury. By consuming the essential vitamins and nutrients, athletes can build up their stamina for use when it really counts. 

 

The Importance of a Balanced Diet 

Whether you’re a middle-aged man playing sports for recreation or a young woman training for the Olympics, adequate nutrition is essential for supporting your training and protecting your body from harm. 

 

In the same way your body craves water during a workout, your body demands a certain amount of vitamins and minerals for optimum efficiency. Physical activity and a suitable diet are your best defense against any number of health concerns, including:

  • Cardiovascular problems
  • Musculoskeletal disorders
  • Muscle injuries
  • Oxidative stress
  • Heart disease 

Vitamins are essential for supporting the body’s biological processes. Unfortunately, people cannot produce all the micronutrients necessary for optimum health. Ensuring you get the correct daily amount is essential for everyone, not just athletes. 

 

The Role of Specific Vitamins in Energy Production and Muscle Function

Let’s explore some of the most notable vitamins for athletic lifestyles. All of these vitamins support your overall wellness and bolster athletic endurance.

 

Vitamin D and Bone Health

Vitamin D is important for athletes, especially in maintaining muscle and bone health. It contributes to better performance, posture, agility, and strength. It is also known to help prevent muscle spasms.  

 

Maintaining the optimum amount of vitamin D is not a problem for most people as it is stored in the liver and gradually released. Many multivitamin products don’t include it. However, if you don’t get enough natural sunlight, have darker skin, or your diet excludes oily fish, egg yolks, cheese, or red meat, you may not be getting the recommended amount. This makes a product like the Vitamin Armor D3 Supplement crucial, especially during the winter when you’re covering up outside and spending most of your time indoors. 

 

B Vitamins and Energy Metabolism

B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12) are essential for athletes’ energy metabolism, endurance, agility, physical therapy, performance goals, lower body agility, acceleration, range of motion, upper body strength, coordination, and posture. 

 

Vitamin C for Immune Function and Collagen Synthesis

Vitamin C is essential for athletes as it boosts their immune system and improves various aspects of their performance, including endurance, strength, coordination, and injury prevention.

 

Vitamin E as an Antioxidant

Adequate vitamin E intake is integral for upper body strength, range of motion, and better acceleration and change of direction. Antioxidants significantly impact athletic training by counteracting oxidative stress.

 

How Multivitamins Boost Sports Performance 

Filling nutritional gaps with multivitamins is essential for athletes looking to take their game to the next level. Multivitamins offer several benefits, particularly for active adults without a dietician or personal trainer to enforce a strict diet. 

 

What can a good multivitamin do for you?

 

  • Optimize muscle recovery and endurance 
  • Facilitate tissue repair 
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Boost energy levels 
  • Maintain a healthy immune system

 

Considerations for Choosing Vitamin Supplements 

When selecting vitamin supplements to improve sports performance, athletes should prioritize purity and quality, opting for those free of artificial additives. The form of the vitamin, safety testing, and consultation with a sports nutritionist are crucial considerations.

 

Mega-dosing of vitamins over prolonged periods can lead to profound health implications with fatal results.

 

Vitamin Armor vitamin supplements are formulated in compliance with the standards and daily recommended allowances set forth by The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 

As an athlete, you want to maximize your potential, whether you’re on the field, on the court, or in the gym. Vitamin Armor vitamins protect your body for optimum sports performance. 

Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Why Am I Cold All the Time? Common Symptoms of Nutrient Deficiencies

Although it’s the time of year when people outside begin to layer up, feeling cold all the time could be a sign of something else, specifically, nutrient deficiencies in the body.

 

A lack of the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs can lead to a host of issues that could permanently affect your health.

 

Discovering the symptoms to watch out for and knowing the vitamins you may be lacking are crucial for your continued well-being.

 

Understanding Nutrient Deficiencies

When we lack essential vitamins and minerals, our bodies may not function as they should. Vitamin B12, iron, and iodine are common vitamins and minerals often lacking.

 

By prioritizing proper nutrition and consuming a balanced diet, we can help prevent these deficiencies.

 

Whether you’re vegan, pregnant, or following a plant-based diet, it’s important to ensure adequate intake of nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin A. These micronutrients are vital for bone health, red blood cell production, and immune function.

 

You can proactively safeguard your health by being aware of your nutrient intake and potential deficiencies.

 

Common Symptoms of Nutrient Deficiencies

Generally speaking, the following signs are all indications of a diet that is lacking the required vitamins and minerals:

 

  • Mouth ulcers
  • Cracks in the corners of your mouth
  • Hair loss
  • Excess dandruff
  • Scaly patches on your skin
  • Red or white bumps on your body
  • Diminished vision at night

 

The symptoms listed above are just some of the ways our bodies let us know something isn’t right. Nutrient deficiencies can impact the immune system, leading to frequent infections and delayed wound healing. It’s wise to pay attention whenever something seems out of the ordinary. 

 

Feeling Cold All the Time

Feeling constantly cold may indicate nutrient deficiencies that affect temperature regulation and blood circulation. Inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals and thyroid hormone imbalances can contribute to cold intolerance.

 

A change in diet and dietary supplements can help prevent and combat nutritional deficiencies. However, it’s always good to consult a healthcare professional to identify what’s happening with your body and receive guidance on addressing any abnormalities.

 

Fatigue and Lack of Energy

Specific vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, B12, iron, and magnesium, are essential for energy production. They allow the body to convert food into usable energy.

 

There may be a good reason for the constant energy drain and sluggishness you’ve been experiencing.

 

Brittle Nails and Hair

Physical appearances are often a good indication of someone’s health.

 

Some people blame feeling cold all the time on the change in weather; people with dry, frizzy hair and brittle nails use the same excuse. However, this uncomfortable state is usually due to a lack of B7 being absorbed into your body and circulating through the bloodstream.

 

Role of Key Vitamins and Minerals in Body Temperature Regulation

 

Vitamin B12 and Iron: Crucial for Red Blood Cell Production

Vitamin B12 and iron are essential for healthy red blood cell production. Deficiencies in these nutrients can cause anemia, leading to decreased red blood cell count and feeling cold. To maintain optimal blood cell function, a diet rich in B12 is recommended and may include shellfish, clams, oysters, liver, meat, eggs, and milk products.

 

Iron, which is essential for producing the hemoglobin that transfers oxygen from your lungs to other body tissues, is found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, peas, spinach, whole grains, and nuts.

 

Again, a good multivitamin, like the Vitamin100 Multivitamin by Vitamin Armor, can help supplement people’s nutritional needs. Not everyone is going to eat everything they need all the time. 

 

Addressing nutrient deficiencies improves red blood cell production and regulates body temperature effectively.

 

Iodine and Thyroid Function: Regulating Metabolism and Body Temperature

 

Iodine is essential for thyroid function and body temperature regulation. Iodine deficiencies can disrupt thyroid function and affect temperature regulation.

 

If you suspect an iodine deficiency, consult a healthcare professional for assessment and guidance on addressing deficiencies.

 

Can Vitamin100 by Vitamin Armor Help?

If you’re suddenly feeling cold all the time, sluggish, or you’ve noticed you’re not looking like your usual self, it could be a sign of a nutrient deficiency.

 

Although age and lifestyle will always be a factor, readjusting your diet or adding a vitamin supplement may be exactly what you need. It’s all about having the correct dosage for your body.

 

Vitamin Armor 100 is a high-quality supplement formulated to counteract the effects of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. If you have any questions about this product, don’t hesitate to reach out.

happy friends riding bikes together

Recovery from a vitamin B12 deficiency varies. It depends on the causes, symptoms and treatment plans.

Mild and borderline cases can take a few days to weeks after starting B12 supplementation or treatment.

However, complete recovery in some cases of vitamin B12 deficiency with neurological symptoms may take months.

To understand how long it takes to recover from Vitamin B12 deficiency, you must first learn what it is and what factors influence it.

Understanding Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that aids in:

  1. Protecting the nerves from damage.
  2. Absorption and breaking down of carbohydrates, fats and proteins to use them as energy.
  3. Creating new cells (DNA synthesis).
  4. Generation of red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to organs.

Our bodies cannot produce vitamin B12 on their own, so you need to consume foods rich in vitamin B12 such as:

  • Organ meats like lamb liver and kidneys
  • Red meat
  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Milk ( Whole, soy, almond or rice), cheese and Yogurt
  • Sardines
  • Clams

Failure to take vitamin B12-rich foods results in three types of deficiency.

The table below shows these three types of B12 insufficiency and what this could mean for you.

B12 Level (pg/mL) Interpretation Explanation
Above 300 Normal B12 levels are within the healthy range
200 – 300 Borderline B12 levels are slightly below normal. Can signal early stages of deficiency or variations in absorption but you need further investigation by a doctor
Below 200 Deficient B12 levels are significantly below the recommended range, indicating a clear deficiency. At this level, you need immediate medical attention

When vitamin B12 is too low (below 200), it can cause several  health complications such as: 

  1. Headaches
  2. Anemia 
  3. Fatigue
  4. Depression
  5. Difficulty concentrating and cognitive impairments
  6. Gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, nausea, constipation, bloating and gas

 

happy friends riding bikes together

Factors Affecting Vitamin B12 Deficiency Recovery

Various factors affect how you recover from vitamin B12 deficiency. 

These include:

A. Age and Lifestyle

Our bodies have the capabilities to absorb the essential minerals and nutrients, from what we consume.

Therefore, the food we eat determines whether we contribute to excess, normal, or inadequate production of these nutrients.

And vitamin B12—a vital nutrient—is affected by our eating patterns.

However, as we age our ability to absorb vitamin B12 diminishes, leading to a deficiency.

Besides our age, our lifestyle and dietary preferences play a role in determining our vitamin B12 intake.

And since most vitamin B12 from food comes from animal sources, the likelihood of deficiency increases if you adhere to a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. 

You can still follow your preferred eating plan as long as you include more plant-based foods high in vitamin B12 in your diet. These include:

  • Almond milk
  • Soy milk
  • Rice milk
  • Oats
  • Bran
  • Corn

If you don’t follow a strict diet plan, it’s still important to include foods high in vitamin B12 in your daily meals.

B. Underlying Conditions

If you have any underlying medical concerns your recovery time for vitamin B12 insufficiency may be impacted.

For example, digestive illnesses such as Crohn’s disease and Celiac disease might impair vitamin B12 absorption. This is because an inflamed or damaged stomach lining prevents vitamin B12 absorption.

Some acid reflux and heartburn medications like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may affect the absorption of vitamin B12. PPIs have the potential to harm the stomach cells that generate intrinsic factor—a protein necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12—leading to a deficiency.

As a result, using vitamin B12 injections for life may be necessary in some cases.

Adherence to Treatment

Once a healthcare professional determines your level of vitamin B12 deficiency, they recommend the appropriate treatment plan for your specific situation.

These might include:

  • Taking supplements
  • Eating more foods that are high in vitamin B12
  • Receiving larger doses of B12 through injections

However, deviating from the suggested treatment course may make recovery time longer.

This is due to the fact that your body is still not getting the 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 that is needed daily for adults over the age of 14.

Purchase High-Quality Vitamin B12 from Vitamin Armor

To ensure that your body is absorbing the correct amount of vitamin B12, you should consult your doctor so that they can prescribe the right dose depending on the category you fall into.

  • Then, you should purchase only high-quality vitamin B12 supplements. Vitamin Armor ensures that you get the best ingredients and just what the doctor ordered.

This enhances your recovery rate since consuming high-quality, carefully formulated vitamin B12 supplements ensures that you receive the maximum benefits of this essential nutrient.

Get 100% of your daily essential vitamins and minerals and take a step closer to a healthier you with Vitamin Armor’s vitamins and supplements.

fitness class with kettlebells

In the quest for optimal health and well-being, essential vitamins play a pivotal role in ensuring that our bodies function at their best. Essential vitamins are organic compounds that are necessary for normal growth, development, and overall well-being. Among these vital nutrients, vitamin D3 and daily multivitamins stand out as cornerstones in maintaining your overall health. 

Vitamin D3: The Sunshine Vitamin

Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D3 is unique among vitamins because our bodies can synthesize it when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D3 is a critical nutrient in several crucial processes.

Bone health

Vitamin D3 is essential for absorbing calcium and phosphorus, vital minerals that support bone health and strength. A deficiency in vitamin D3 can lead to weakened bones, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. 

Immune System Support

Vitamin D3 plays a vital role in modulating the immune system, helping it respond effectively to infections, and preventing autoimmune reactions. 

Your mood and mental health

Some studies suggest that vitamin D3 may influence mood, and mental health, with potential links to conditions like depression and anxiety. 

A healthy heart

Adequate levels of vitamin D3 are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, as it helps regulate blood pressure and supports a healthy heart. 

Muscle function

Vitamin D3 is critical for muscle function, coordination, and strength. Deficiencies may lead to muscle weakness and an increased risk of falls, particularly among older adults. 

fitness class with kettlebells

Get your daily nutritional boost with a multivitamin

While a balanced diet is the best way to obtain essential vitamins, a daily multivitamin can act as an insurance policy to fill any potential nutritional gaps. 

 

A variety of nutrients

A good-quality multivitamin provides a broad spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals, ensuring you get various nutrients to support overall health. 

Increase your nutrient intake

Sometimes, you’re busy and just need to eat something fast. In today’s fast-paced world, sometimes our dietary choices are not the most nutritious. A daily multivitamin can provide that extra boost of essential vitamins your body needs to function optimally. 

Consistency is key

Taking a daily multivitamin is convenient and consistent to ensure you meet your daily nutrient requirements, especially if your diet is limited or lacks variety.

Nutrient support

Pregnant women, older adults, or people with specific dietary restrictions may have increased nutrient needs or difficulty obtaining certain vitamins from their diets. A tailored multivitamin can address these specific requirements. 

Nourishing necessities make your body thrive

Every vitamin plays a unique role in maintaining the health of various body systems. Deficiencies in essential vitamins can lead to various health issues and diseases. Maintaining a balanced and varied diet is essential to ensure an adequate intake of these essential nutrients. However, supplementation may be necessary in certain cases, such as when dietary intake is insufficient or when specific medical conditions impair absorption. Before starting any supplement regimen, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional to ensure that it’s appropriate for individual needs.

Vitamins are crucial for maintaining optimal health and well-being. Vitamin D3 is a powerful nutrient that influences bone health, immune function, and much more. Daily multivitamins can provide a safety net to ensure you receive the full spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals. 

While supplements can be beneficial to your daily routine, they should complement a balanced diet, not replace one. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen, as individual nutrient needs may vary based on age, health status, and lifestyle. Contact Dr. Datz if you need help choosing the right vitamins for you.

senior man with pills at gym

Vitamin D deficiency can significantly impact our overall health and well-being. This essential nutrient is crucial in various bodily functions, including bone health, immune system regulation, and mood stabilization. However, certain signs and symptoms may emerge when our bodies lack sufficient vitamin D levels. Recognizing these five common signs of deficiency, such as fatigue, bone and joint pain, impaired wound healing, frequent illnesses, and mood changes, can be essential in identifying and addressing this nutritional deficiency to ensure optimal health and vitality.

What is vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally found in some foods and added to others. Vitamin D can also be produced in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. 

Vitamin D plays a vital role in regulating calcium and phosphate levels in the body, which are essential for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. It aids in calcium absorption from the intestines, helps deposit calcium in bones, and prevents excessive loss through urine. Vitamin D has been linked to other health benefits, including immune function, cell growth and differentiation, mood regulation, and reducing the risk of certain diseases.

 

Vitamin D deficiency is a common health issue for many people

Because vitamin D is a unique nutrient, the body can synthesize it when the skin is exposed to sunlight, however, factors such as geographical location, time of year, sunscreen use, age, skin pigmentation, and time spent outdoors can affect the body’s ability to produce sufficient vitamin D. Therefore, dietary sources and supplements are often necessary to ensure adequate vitamin D levels, particularly in individuals who may have limited sun exposure or are at higher risk of deficiency.

 

Here are five common signs that may indicate a vitamin D deficiency:

  1. Fatigue and weakness: 

Feeling constantly tired, lacking energy, and experiencing muscle weakness can be signs of vitamin D deficiency.

 

  1. Bone and joint pain: 

Low vitamin D levels can lead to aches and pains in the bones and joints. This may include chronic back pain, joint stiffness, or general discomfort.

 

  1. Impaired wound healing: 

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in healing. If you notice that your wounds are slow or healing poorly, it could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency.

 

  1. Frequent illnesses or infections:

 Vitamin D is essential for maintaining a strong immune system. If you fall ill frequently, especially with respiratory infections like colds or flu, it could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency.

 

  1. Depression or mood changes: 

Research suggests a link between vitamin D deficiency and mood disorders such as depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you’re experiencing unexplained changes in mood or feelings of depression, it’s worth considering vitamin D levels.

Health and nutrition go hand in hand

Vitamin D deficiency can manifest in various ways, and the signs and symptoms can vary from person to person.  If you are experiencing health problems, it is important to see your doctor. Other conditions can also cause these symptoms, so it’s important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis if you suspect a deficiency. A blood test can determine your vitamin D levels and guide appropriate treatment if necessary. A multivitamin is a great way to boost your vitamin intake if you are concerned about a deficiency. To learn more about how a multivitamin can help you, check out NIH’s collection of consumer fact sheets. It’s important to know your Vitamin D blood level since that will determine your dosing. You can contact Dr. Datz if you need help interpreting your Vitamin D level.