5 Essential Vitamins for Muscle Strength

photo credit: @crfpics

Each time you work out, your muscles go through both growth and repair. In order to support this process, your body needs certain essential vitamins and minerals. You can either get these from your diet or a variety of supplements. The most essential vitamins are easy to remember if you know your alphabet. Vitamins A to E helps you develop muscle strength and give you fuel for your workout. If you’re interested in strength training as part of your fitness regime, they can be a great asset.

Vitamin A

One of the benefits of vitamin A is that it supports protein synthesis. This is very important for muscle growth. Vitamin A also promotes bone and cell development. You can find high levels of vitamin A in foods such as liver, fish oil, milk, and eggs. It’s also found in certain fruits and vegetables including carrots, broccoli, cantaloupe, and squash. Here is a vitamin A fact sheet with more information about the health benefits of vitamin A.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is another one of the essential vitamins and nutrients you need for a workout, particularly B6, B12, and folate. Vitamin B6 and B12 help your body to metabolize protein. They also work together to boost your immune system, which aids your body in muscle growth and recovery after a workout. Sources of vitamin B include dairy products, meat, fish, and dark green vegetables. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another important part of your fuel for a workout. Seen as it’s an antioxidant it helps to protect your muscles from potentially harmful free radicals in your body. It’s also beneficial for joint strength because it helps to increase your collagen levels. Your joints are muscles work together to increase your strength overall. Vitamin C also helps to minimize soreness after a workout. You can find it in citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers, and Brussel sprouts, for example. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D boosts your muscle strength because it helps increase testosterone production and protein synthesis. It also has a part to play in bone health working with minerals such as magnesium and calcium. There are plenty of healthy foods high in vitamin D. These include canned fish, cod liver oil, egg yolks, and salmon. It’s also available in a supplement form, like all the other vitamins on the list, which is particularly beneficial for vegetarians or vegans.  

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant. It aids your body in getting rid of free radicals which results in a decrease in muscle damage. It also helps to increase muscle strength due to its positive effects on your bloodstream. It reduces your blood pressure allowing more nutrients to reach your muscles, especially during a workout. There are also benefits of vitamin E oil and it’s commonly used in cosmetics and skincare. You can find vitamin E in various nuts and seeds, and certain fruits and vegetables such as greens, spinach, and pumpkin. Try and include these as a healthy addition to your diet.

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