ABSTRACT
I. Introduction................................................................................. 317 II. Analytical Considerations .......................................................... 318
A. Stability of Vitamins ............................................................. 318 B. Vitamin Bioavailability, Active Forms and Storage............ 327 C. Biochemical Indices to Assess Vitamin Status .................... 328
III. Assessment Guidelines and Considerations............................. 329 IV. Assessment Methods .................................................................. 333 V. Summary...................................................................................... 334
References ............................................................................................. 335
Vitamins are organic compounds required in small amounts not only for survival, but also for athletic competitions. In general, vitamins cannot be synthesized in large enough quantities endogenously to meet metabolic requirements for efficient daily functioning and therefore, must be consumed.
