Runners need to consume sufficient amounts of Vitamin C
Running can be a strenuous activity, especially if you are training for a race such as a 5K, half marathon or marathon. Eating a well-balanced diet is key to ensuring you are replenishing your body with the sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. If you are not getting the adequate amount of vitamins, based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or USFDA recommended daily values, consider consuming more of the proper type and amount of healthy foods.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with antioxidant properties beneficial to runners. According to Runners World Nutrition editor Dr. Liz Applegate, vitamin E supplementation at the right levels may help protect you from damage caused by running and other endurance exercises. Vitamin E supplements for runners should contain no more than 400 IU. Take it with a meal because a small amount of fat is required to break it down.
Studies reported in the Journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine showed marathon runners who took vitamin E supplements had lower levels of oxidant injury than those who took placebo. The same study indicated vitamin treatment can help prevent oxidant injury caused by running a marathon. You can find natural food sources of Vitamin E in nuts, seeds, wheat germ and almonds. Vitamin E is also available in fortified cereals and vegetable oils.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that helps protect you from oxidative damage caused by exercise. Vitamin C is also important in maintaining a healthy immune system, which can be strained by endurance training. According to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, a subset of studies have found a significant reduction in the risk of developing a cold by about 50 percent in marathon runners taking vitamin C. Another study from the University of Cape Town Medical School in South Africa found runners who took 600 milligrams of vitamin C daily three weeks before an ultramarathon had fewer upper respiratory tract infections compared to the runners who took placebo.
You can get sufficient vitamin C from foods like orange, strawberries and kiwifruit. Other sources include vegetables, green peppers and tomatoes. Remember to keep your intake below 2,000 milligrams because excessive levels may increase your risk for kidney stones, according to Dr. Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at the University of California at Davis.
Zinc
Zinc is a nutrient that goes a long way. Aside from its role in maintaining a healthy immune system, zinc also makes injury recovery and wound healing possible--two crucial factors in endurance training, especially for runners who train a lot. Runners World Magazine states athletes had twice the amount of zinc loss through urination after a six mile run in comparison to when they didn't exercise. This means runners run the risk of zinc deficiency, which can cause ailments like frequent colds. Zinc deficiency also makes you more susceptible to bronchitis and other infections. Food sources of zinc are oysters, liver, clams, wheat germ and fortified breakfast cereals. Other sources include black-eyed peas, beef, lamb, poultry and pork.
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