Your daily must-have vitamins and minerals that make you healthier, more productive and mentally more balanced

First and foremost you need to understand that if you are training frequently your body and mind have a higher need of vitamins and minerals to help you stay healthy and balanced. All these vitamins and minerals can be found in natural food sources however, even with a healthy and balanced diet it’s still hard to get adequate amounts for our needs on a daily basis, so here are my daily essential vitamin and mineral supplements with an appropriate amount for a physically active adult to not only cover your health needs but also to help you to be an even more energized, healthier and mentally more productive and balanced human being.

Magnesium

symptoms of high stress and magnesium deficiency

Irritability or moodiness
Anxiety
Depression
Irregular heartbeat
mental numbness or lack of emotion
high blood pressure
Fatigue and muscle weakness
muscle cramps or aches and headaches.
Sleep problems.

benefits of megnezium:

improve mood and sleep quality
reduces stress, depression and anxiety
support blood pressure and blood sugar management
reduce heart disease risk

source of magnesium:
spinach, almond, pumpkin seed, or avocado, one of them daily or a dietary supplement.

daily dosage of magnesium: 400mg for men and 300mg for women ( a handful of almond or spinach contains about 80mg of magnesium).

Vitamin D

symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

memory and mood changes, low energy and fatigue, bone pain, higher risk of getting sick, hair loss, lower sex drive

benefits of vitamin D

boost immune system and sex hormones
support muscle growth
supporting brain functionality and the nervous system
regulate insulin levels and support diabetes management
promoting healthy bones and teeth
influencing the expression of genes involved in cancer development
supporting lung function and cardiovascular health

daily dosage of Vitamin D is about 4000IU ( an hour of sun exposure in a Mediterranean region is about 8000IU of vitamin D)

Omega 3

symptoms

cardiovascular disease
Attention and concentration problems
joint pain
dry skin and hair
poor sleep quality
mental fog

benefits

reduces stroke risk
maintain heart health
reduce inflammation
increase testosterone and estrogen level
improves memory, focus and mood
boost immune system
support joints
support weight loss
promotes healthy skin and hair growth

daily dosage of omega3: 2g of EPA+DHA ( 150-250g of salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines contain about 2g of EPA+DHA)

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues. It’s involved in many body functions, including the formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the proper functioning of the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.

Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants that can protect against damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals, as well as toxic chemicals and pollutants like cigarette smoke. Free radicals can build up and contribute to the development of health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.

Exercising leads to an increase in free radical production and causes extra stress on our immune system.
Getting a higher amount of vitamin C is a great way to protect our body from this problem.

Good source of Vitamin C

Orange juice, 1 cup: 97mg
Broccoli, cooked, 1 cup: 74mg
Red cabbage, 1/2 cup: 40mg
Green pepper, 1/2 cup, 60mg
Red pepper, 1/2 cup, 95mg
Kiwi, 1 medium: 70mg
Tomato juice, 1 cup: 45mg.
or Dietary supplement

daily dosage of vitamin C: 500mg ( 1 cup of Orange juice contains 97mg, 1 cup of cooked Broccoli: 75mg, 1 medium Kiwi: 70mg of vitamin C)

Multivitamin

A basic daily Multivitamin is a great way to cover the rest of your daily vitamins and minerals needs to keep your body healthy, and they are mostly filled with a higher amount from the different types of Vitamin B, which offers a lot of benefits to us because the training itself is a big stress on our body and nervous system

Benefits of vitamin B complex

increase energy levels brain function
support nervous system and nerve function
support cell health
increase red blood cells
support digestion and eyesight
support hormones and cholesterol production
increase cardiovascular health.

For a non-active adult, It is relatively easy to get enough of all types of vitamin B on a daily basis with a varied and healthy nutrition habit. However, if you are training frequently, and you not only want to optimize your health but also improve your physical and mental performance, a higher amount of Vitamin B complex can be really beneficial to you.

Turmeric (Curcumin extract supplement)

The active ingredient in turmeric is a natural compound (polyphenol) called curcumin, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and like other colorful plant-based foods, turmeric is rich in phytonutrients that protect the body by neutralizing free radicals (smoking, alcohol consumption, adequate or inappropriate diet, pollution, sunlight, exercise, training, or untrained condition) and shielding the cells from damage.

Benefits

Reduce inflammation that plays a role in many health conditions and diseases ( lower blood pressure, reduce risk of diabetes, improve fat loss, prevent Arthritis /inflammation in the joints/, reduce muscle soreness and boost mental health and cognitive function)
– increase the antioxidant capacity of the body (slows down aging and prevents heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s,
– lower bad cholesterol level
– benefits against depression by boosting the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, reducing inflammation and anxiety

The daily dosage of curcumin extract is between 200 and 700 milligrams, depending on the conditions mentioned above.