Good Vitamins for Muscle Growth
Many bodybuilders spend countless hours in the gym and follow strict dieting regimes to get leaner and more deified.
However, it’s crucial that you don’t go too low on the calorie intake, as this can actually prevent your body from building muscle. Having a diet specific to muscle growth allows for high amounts of protein. Which can boost your muscle mass and helps with weight loss too.
However, there are many vitamins and minerals that you should be taking every day as part of your muscle building journey. Having a vitamin deficiency can have many negative impacts on your body, which will hinder your ability to produce more muscle.
Most vitamins support a healthy immune system, fight inflammation and help with stress. All of which are crucial for the muscle building process, so let’s take a look at the best below…
Calcium
Calcium holds so much nutritional value and is an integral part of the growth and strengthening of our bones. But calcium is also important for a healthy heart, muscle and nerve contractions and when taken with Vitamin D – both become much easier to absorb. As well as calcium-based supplements, other great sources of this essential vitamin include milk, cheese, beans and lentils.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a very popular supplement because of its potential to maintain a healthy immune system, boost your mood and ward off any unwanted diseases. The obvious source of vitamin D is from sunlight but were not all lucky enough to get much of it! When taken with calcium, it helps to contract your muscles more effectively, by the creation of ATP. Ways to include more vitamin D into your diet include egg yolks, cheese and fatty fish like tuna, salmon or swordfish.
Vitamin C
Known for its power to boost our immune systems, Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that works to protect muscle cells from damaging free radicals. As well as this, it aids the formation of testosterone and other anabolic hormones, benefiting your muscle growth greatly. Not to forget, vitamin C is an essential part in keeping our bones and muscles healthy and free from injury, because of its aid in collagen formation! This means you’ll be able to handle heavier weights, with less chance of injury. Eating more broccoli, white potatoes and peppers amongst other foods is a great way to increase your intake of this impressive vitamin.
Iron
If you want to know why spinach is known as a ‘superfood’, it’s because the leafy green is packed with iron, a mineral that brings oxygen to muscle tissues. The vitamin also helps to regulate a body’s metabolism and can help promote a healthy immune system. If you don’t get enough iron, your red blood cells won’t be able to carry oxygen to your muscles that need it.
Without enough iron, your performance in the gym will suffer drastically. So, get the iron pumping in the kitchen if you want to see the results in the gym too! Some of the best sources of this much needed vitamin are spinach, kale, red meat and chicken.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 has a number of purposes in our body. In terms of bodybuilding, it helps to send oxygen to your muscles that are in use. It also helps with the production of red blood cells. As it relates to bodybuilding, this vitamin helps send oxygen to your muscles as they’re in use. It also contributes to the production of red blood cells, which are invaluable to muscle growth and repair. Keeping your levels of B12 maintained ensures that your body is ready and running smoothly. If you aren’t able to send enough blood to the working muscles, they’ll be more likely to be damaged and grow less.
Creatine
Creatine is a very important vitamin for your muscles. Creatine is actually created in your boy, so it can be found in many foods. Its main function is to send energy to your working muscles, helping them to keep on pumping. As well as helping you to perform in the gym, it can also prompt muscle growth too. If your aim is to increase your muscle mass then I would definitely recommend giving creatine a go!
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is known for being a powerful antioxidant and is essential for the recovery process. Some studies suggest that Vitamin E help to protect our cells against damage. When we train, we produce free radicals in the body, which can be toxic. As these free radicals multiply, it can hinder performance, muscle growth and your recovery. But, the good news is that vitamin E works to ward off these free radicals and flush them away.
Zinc
Zinc is another important mineral that helps our body maintain a healthy blood supply. It’s also known for its ability to regulate cell growth, helping to heal wounds and promote a healthy immune system. Zinc helps our bodies to use certain foods such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for energy properly.
Zinc is also popular amongst many bodybuilders because of its recovery benefits. It helps our bodies recovery from stressful exercises such as weight training, or intense workouts.
