Most important nutrients for distance runners

Long-distance runners, especially marathon or half-marathon runners, or runners who train strenuously have greater nutritional requirements than non-active people.

Long distance runners lose a lot just through perspiration; magnesium, potassium and sodium, are lost in sweat.

Intense activity puts wear and tear on the muscle cells and can end in tissue breakdown if the right nutrients are not taken to repair the tissue. It sounds complicated, but it’s not really.

Most vitamins, minerals, and enzymes are found and consumed in a healthy diet. However, when the exercise becomes extreme, and lets face it marathon running is extreme, you may not be able to consume all the nutrients through your diet. That’s where supplements come in.

Below are a few nutrients that are required by the body especially if you are doing long-distance running training.

Calcium

The recommended daily intake of calcium its 1,000 – 1,500 mg a day, and believe it or not, half the population only consumes half of that!

Women runners especially need to be aware of their calcium intake. If a woman trains for more than 7 hours per week, she can deplete her calcium reserves which can end in deficiencies which can be the major cause of osteoporosis. If you like dairy food, then you should be okay – one cup of milk provides 300 mg of calcium, if you re not getting enough in your diet, you may need to take a supplement, especially whilst training for a big event.

Natural source- milk

Supplement- Organic India Osteoseal Capsules, 60 capsules

Iron

If you train for more than 6 hours a week, you may become deficient in iron. This can result in anaemia and that is not good for your running at all.

Females especially should be aware of what their iron levels are; it can easily be checked by the doctor. The recommended daily allowance of iron is 10-15 mg a day and can be accessed easily through your diet, but if your training is intense you may need to take an iron supplement.

However, do not take an iron supplement until you have been diagnosed with a deficiency as too much iron can cause its own set of health problems.

The best natural source of iron is liver, or green leafy vegetables and many cereals these days are enriched now with iron.

Supplement – Nature’s Bounty Iron 65 Mg, 100 tablet(s)

Magnesium

A very important mineral, especially for athletes, as it activates enzymes that contribute to energy production.

It also helps to regulate calcium levels; in fact magnesium taken in regulated doses helps reduce calcium deficiencies. Low magnesium levels can present itself in muscle cramps, fatigue and sometimes nausea. Magnesium is lost in sweat and urine; therefore it is common for long distance runners to be low in this mineral.

Magnesium’s best natural sources are spinach, nuts and seeds, and beans. You probably only need a supplement when you are at the peak end of your training, endurance athletes require 500-800 mg daily.

Supplement – Health Aid Magnesium Orotate 500mg, 30 tablet

Potassium

Is found in all working cells and regulates water and automatic muscle contractions. Once again it is lost from the body through sweat and urine. Deficiency in Potassium can cause lactic cramps. During exercise in moderate temperatures you can expect to lose 200 mg of potassium per kilo of your body weight.

Replacing potassium during and directly after long distance running is vital, and it helps to decrease the feeling of fatigue. Runners should aim to take 430 mg for every hour of exercise, post exercise, and if possible 150 mg an hour during your run.

The sports drinks and gels have potassium so they are good during the runs; bananas are also a good source after your run. One banana contains five times as much Potassium in a supplement. Other food sources rich in potassium are white meats, root vegetables and fruit and dairy. You should aim to consume more than 3,500 -mgs a day.

Supplement- Vitamin Shoppe Potassium Citrate, 100 capsules

Selenium

Is found naturally in the lungs, liver and skeletal muscles, it is a natural antioxidant and works to repair tissue damage. Selenium also aids the immune system and helps repair cell damage.

Selenium is found in many food sources, such as mushrooms, whole cereals, and nuts like Brazil nuts and cashews. Also seafood, especially shellfish, is rich in selenium. The recommended daily requirement is not much, only 55-70 mcg daily.

If you need supplementation, 200 mg is adequate. However, beware that if you do take supplements, selenium can be toxic in high doses, that’s over 300 mcg daily, over a period of time.

Supplement- Health Aid Selenium 200 Mcg, 60 chewable tablet(s)

Sodium

Who would think we would need salt supplements, but believe it or not a condition called Hyponatremia (dangerously low level of sodium) is harmful to a distance runner’s health.

Sodium during running is vital as it helps the cells retain water and prevent dehydration. For any event lasting more than 5 hours, less if the weather is warm, sodium will need to be replaced during the event.

Most events have sports drinks at the stations, so make sure you have a cup even if you don’t like it; it’s vital to replace the lost sodium. You should aim to replace sodium at these ratios, 80-100 mg sodium per litre of beverage, and 100-300 mg per hour from other sources.

Most sports drinks and mixes have potassium and sodium added, and some have other nutrients as well, make sure you read the labels to find out.

Happy running and be sure to check out Dumbelled.com for more helpful nutrition advice.