Find out why every athlete needs to use B vitamins on a consistent basis. B vitamins are essential for our body. Today we will talk about how vitamins B6 and B12 are used in sports. It is these substances that are most widely used in sports and traditional medicine.
The role of B vitamins in sports
A little later, we will talk about the use of vitamins B6 and B12 in sports, and now a few words should be said about other substances of this group. Note that it is quite extensive and includes eight substances that are water-soluble. This suggests that the body is not able to accumulate them. However, some of them, namely B8, B4, and B10, the body is able to synthesize on its own and in most of the additional intake of these substances is not required.
With regard to bodybuilding, this group of vitamins is the most important, as it helps to gain mass. Here are the main effects that B vitamins have:
- Accelerate energy production processes.
- Increase the contractility of the muscles.
- They improve the assimilation of all essential nutrients, which is extremely important in conditions of abundant nutrition, without which weight gain is impossible.
- Accelerate the processes of reduction of adipose cellular structures.
- They stimulate the processes of division of cellular structures of tissues, including muscular ones.
- Strengthen the body's defenses.
- Stimulates the work of the nervous system.
- Help the body get all the nutrients it needs.
- They speed up the metabolism.
- Improves the quality of the skin.
- Eliminate stress.
- Reduces the risk of developing diseases of the vascular system and heart muscle.
Since the most common vitamins B6 and B12 in sports, it is worth talking about them in more detail. To begin with, they come in a variety of forms, which makes them very easy to use. If you want to take these substances for prophylaxis, then tablets (dragees) and capsules are the best choices. For serious treatment, it is better to use injectables.
How is vitamin B6 used in sports?
For a better understanding of the information on the use of vitamins B6 and B12 in sports, we will tell you about each of them separately. B6 is also called pyridoxine and is found in many foods and supplements. Let's also say that this substance is synthesized in the body, but in minimal quantities. Deficiency of pyridoxine can appear as a result of the use of antibiotics, disruption of the digestive tract, as well as improperly organized nutrition.
In any form of release, the substance is highly resistant to oxygen and high temperatures. However, it can be destroyed by direct exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. Among the main functions performed by pyridoxine in the body, the following should be noted:
- Metabolic processes are accelerated - the fact that pyridoxine is actively involved in many metabolic processes has been proven by scientists.
- The efficiency of the heart muscle improves - this is due to the ability of the substance to accelerate the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are necessary to regulate the work of the heart and normalize blood pressure.
- Strengthens the work of immunity - the substance accelerates the processes of division of cell structures and is necessary for the production of various antibodies.
- The quality of the hair, as well as the skin, improves - everything is clear with this issue and no additional explanations are required.
- The work of the nervous system is stimulated - scientists have proven that pyridoxine is necessary for the synthesis of some neurotransmitters that are responsible for human mood and brain performance. Note that the cellular structures of the brain contain about fifty times more vitamin B6 in comparison with blood.
- Takes part in the production of genetic materials, hormonal substances and red blood cells.
An additional intake of pyridoxine is necessary in case of development of vitamin deficiency, infectious diseases, diarrhea, nutritional errors, dermatitis, as well as after removal of the stomach. Pyridoxine is found in a large number of plant and animal products. Chicken is an excellent source of this substance. Mackerel, pomegranate, cabbage, walnuts, veal, etc. All vitamins must be ingested in a certain dosage, pyridoxine is not an exception to this rule. Every day a person needs two to six grams of vitamin. An overdose of pyridoxine can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system, however, a deficiency of the substance is more dangerous. In this situation, some disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system also occur, dermatitis develops, problems with the digestive tract and anemia are possible.
Scientists have identified a risk group for developing pyridoxine deficiency, and these people should pay special attention to their diet. This group includes the following categories of people:
- Babies.
- People who have taken antibiotics for a long time.
- Women using hormonal contraceptives.
- People who have problems with the liver, as well as suffering from atherosclerosis and polyarthritis.
- Women during pregnancy.
Vitamin B12 in sports
One of the two most popular vitamins B6 and B12 in sports we've just reviewed, it's time to turn our attention to the second. Many scientists consider cyanocobalamin (B12) to be one of the essential vitamins for humans. This substance is able to strengthen the immune system, normalize blood pressure, improve the quality of sleep, and also increase the rate of production of protein structures in muscle tissues. The most effective form of the drug is injectable, although a tablet is also suitable for prophylactic use.
If we talk about the general use of cyanocobalamin, then this should be done in the following situations:
- With polyneuritis, radiculitis, as well as neuralgia.
- Chronic anemia caused by cyanocobalamin deficiency.
- Damage to the peripheral nervous system and cerebral palsy.
- Prolonged fever with alcoholism.
- Various diseases of the skin.
- Digestive tract pathologies.
- Tumor growths on the pancreas and in the intestinal tract.
- Pathological abnormalities in the work of the kidneys.
- Strong stress.
- Various infectious diseases.
- Phonicular myelosis and Down's disease.
Functions of vitamin B12 in the human body
Let's take a look at the main functions that cyanocobalamin performs in our body:
- The processes of production of leukocytes are accelerated, which significantly increases the efficiency of the immune system.
- Stress is relieved and depressive state is eliminated.
- The activity of sperm in the male seminal fluid increases.
- With oxygen deficiency, the ability of the cellular structures of tissues to consume it from the blood increases.
- Anabolic processes, for example, the production of protein compounds, cannot proceed without cyanocobalamin.
- Blood pressure is normalized.
How to take vitamin B12 correctly?
We will immediately inform you that not everyone can use this drug. First of all, this applies to people with hypersensitivity to the substance, as well as women during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, cyanocobalamin is contraindicated in erythrocytosis, thromboembolism of erythremia. But in the presence of angina pectoris, malignant and benign tumor neoplasms, a tendency to thrombus formation. Cyanocobalamin must be used in limited doses.
Before starting a course of the drug, you should consult a doctor. The daily dosage directly depends on the tasks assigned to you. For athletes, dosages of 10-24 micrograms are relevant. We will also inform you that in the absence of health problems, an overdose of vitamin B12 is not terrible, since the substance is not a toxin. If we talk about the use of cyanocobalamin in medicine, then the dosages are selected depending on the disease.
Pharmacological properties of cyanocobalamin
Often, athletes are interested in why vitamins B6 and B12 are needed in sports in an injection form. It is quite obvious that such use can be primarily caused by serious disturbances in the functioning of the body. If you have no health problems, then you can take the substance additionally as part of micronutrient complexes.
The injectable form of cyanocobalamin is characterized by high speed of action and is significantly superior in efficiency to the tableted form. That is why injections should be given in serious situations. Once in the body, vitamin B12 is converted into the coenzymes adenosylbalamin, as well as kabamamide. They are active forms of the vitamin and are required for the production of various enzymes.
For example, cyanocobalamin is involved in the conversion of vitamin B9 into titrahydrofolic acid, which has a high biological strength. The drug is extremely useful for the work of the circulatory system, as it allows the body to create reserves of sulfate hydral groups in erythrocytes. If vitamin B12 is used in high doses, then there is a normalization of the balance of lipoprotein compounds.
So we told you all about what vitamins B6 and B12 are for in sports and how to use them correctly. Recall that only a doctor is able to determine the required dosage of drugs and the independent use of these substances is allowed only for prophylactic purposes.
For more on vitamin B6 in sports, see here:
But the following video will tell about vitamin B12:
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