ABSTRACT
Micronutrients have roles relevant to athletic performance. This chapter will review the evidence base for how physical activity affects vitamin and mineral requirements. Athletes who are female, vegetarian, and on low-energy diets are commonly deficient in magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and iron, with iron-deficiency anaemia having the most significant negative impact on athletic performance. In endurance athletes, iron deficiency is exacerbated by iron losses through sweat and red blood cell breakdown, and via exercise-induced reductions in the hepcidin, a hormone which acts to increase iron levels. Deficiencies should be diagnosed by blood tests and nutritional analyses and addressed via diet and supplementation. Correction of deficiency can improve performance, but micronutrient intakes above physiological requirements will not have ergogenic effects. Finally, this chapter reviews the controversy on whether antioxidant supplements may enhance recovery from exercise by reducing oxidative stress, or if they have potential adverse effects on adaptations to training.
