Vitamins and minerals are necessary for a broad range of essential chemical reactions in the body, including those involved in energy metabolism, cell growth and repair, protection from free radical damage, and nerve and muscle function.
Sport-supplement-fact-sheets-Multivitamins-finalised-030225.pdf
Athlete infographics have been developed for the information of athletes under the direct guidance of a sports dietitian. Sports dietitians have expert knowledge of sports supplements and their potential application in an athletes broader health and performance nutrition strategies. Always engage with a sports dietitian when considering the use of any supplement. https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/#find-sports-dietitian, opens in a new tab
Many different products providing combinations of vitamins and minerals are available. Supplements promoted as a daily replacement for adequate dietary intake typically contain a broad range of vitamins and mineral in doses within the range of population NRVs (nutrient reference values).
Poor replacement of nutrient-dense foods
Poor replacement of targeted micronutrient therapy
Multivitamin mineral supplements do not replace the potential need for the supervised treatment or prevention of deficiencies of key micronutrients (e.g. iron deficiency). Athletes who are at high risk of such a deficiency should seek the advice of a Medical Practitioner or Accredited Sports Dietitian rather than self-medicate.
Megadose products may be counterproductive
Large doses of antioxidant vitamin supplements (e.g Vitamins C and E) may be counterproductive if they upset the balance of the body’s complex antioxidant system. In some cases, such supplementation has been shown to impair the effectiveness of training by dampening the oxidative pathways that are needed to signal the adaptive response to an exercise session.1
Accumulation of excessive and unnecessary doses
Many athletes consider vitamins and minerals to be a “pick me up” in times of heavy training or fatigue. They may add a multivitamin mineral supplement (or two) to their existing use of supplements and sports foods, some of which are already fortified with the same ingredients. The combination of many different sources can lead to unnecessarily high intakes of some micronutrients with unwanted side effects including toxicity or competition for absorption between nutrients.
Inadvertent ingestion of banned or harmful substances
Although all sports foods and supplements can be a source of contaminants or undeclared ingredients, the current positioning of vitamin and mineral supplements as a “pick me up” or lifestyle tonic merits particular caution. We note that some products contain herbal ingredients or other forms of stimulants that are included to give a sense of “energy” - these may lead to health concerns or an inadvertent Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
Sports Dietitians Australia www.sportsdietitians.com.au/factsheets, opens in a new tab
Supplement safety information www.sportintegrity.gov.au/what-we-do/anti-doping/supplements-sport, opens in a new tab