Vitamins and Athletes

The maintenance of normal metabolic function in the body is regulated by small amounts of chemically unrelated compounds, called vitamins. These substances act as cofactors in many body processes including carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. Vitamins are also involved in human growth. Several of the vitamins are synthesized in the body in amounts sufficient to maintain normal function. Other vitamins, termed essential, cannot be made by the body and must be acquired from an exogenous source. The amounts of these vitamins needed to meet the known nutritional needs of healthy people have been estimated. These recommended dietary allowances (RDA) can be attained by eating a proper well-balanced diet.1