Vitamins: Athletic Benefit & Harm
Ergogenic Benefit?
Vitamin
Functions
Increased Needs
in
Athletes
Purported Mechanism
Evidence of Benefit
Evidence of Harm
A
Antioxidant
↑ Tissue repair
No
Yes
B1 (thiamin)
Carbohydrate metabolism, co-enzyme
Y
↑ Endurance, performance,
↓ fatigue
No
Non-toxic
B2 (riboflavin)
Aerobic metabolism, co- enzyme
Y
↑ Aerobic performance
No
Non-toxic
B3 (niacin)
Aerobic metabolism, co- enzyme
Y
↑ Energy, performance
No
Yes
B5 (pantothenic Acid)
Fatty acid metabolism, co- enzyme
↑ Aerobic performance
No:Yes::4:1
Non-toxic
B6 (pyridoxine)
Glucose and hemoglobin production, metabolism
Y
↑ Endurance
No
Yes
Folic acid (folate)
Nucleic acid and RBC production
↑ Endurance, performance,
↓ fatigue
No
Yes
B12 (cobalamin)
RBC production
Y
↑ Endurance, performance,
↓ fatigue
No
Non-toxic
Biotin
Glycogen formation, co- enzyme
None
No
Unknown
C
Antioxidant, collagen
↑ Tissue repair, performance,
↓ colds
No:Yes::2:1
Yes
D
Bone metabolism
Y
↑ Bone formation
No
Yes
E
Antioxidant
Y
↑ Tissue repair
No:Yes:: 4:1
Yes
K
Clotting
None
Yes
Table 26. Ergogenic and ergolytic potential of vitamins. Read the text preceding this
table. “No:Yes::4:1” means 4 studies show
no benefit for every 1
study that shows benefit. Nutrition for Sports, Essentials of 130
