Vitamins and minerals are crucial for athletes' recovery due to several key reasons: 1. Muscle Repair: They aid in repairing and rebuilding muscle tissues damaged during intense workouts [1].
 2. Energy Production: Certain vitamins like B vitamins help convert food into energy, supporting overall energy levels post-exercise [4].
 3. Immune Function: Minerals such as zinc and vitamins like vitamin C support immune function, helping athletes recover faster by reducing the risk of infections [2].
 4. Bone Health: Vitamins D and calcium support bone health, crucial for athletes to prevent injuries and maintain skeletal strength [3].
 5. Electrolyte Balance: Minerals like sodium and potassium help maintain proper fluid balance and muscle function, essential for recovery and preventing cramps [5].
 In conclusion, adequate intake of vitamins and minerals ensures athletes recover effectively, maintain optimal performance, and support overall health and well-being. Magnesium This mineral is of critical importance to anyone who exercises, and is of critical importance to athletes and endurance athletes. Magnesium is a component of more than 300 enzymes involved in energy metabolism. Magnesium is involved in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from fatty acid oxidation (see diagram below). ATP stores energy and is present in all cells, especially muscle cells. Low magnesium levels can contribute to early fatigue, nausea, and muscle cramps. Magnesium is involved in a multitude of processes that impact muscle function, including oxygen uptake and electrolyte balance, in addition to energy production. Zinc Maintaining optimal zinc levels is imperative to maximize athletic performance. Zinc is needed by more than 300 enzymes to repair the body and protect against immune invaders. It also helps synthesize proteins and helps cells reproduce. Zinc plays important roles in the production of testosterone, insulin-like growth factor, and growth hormone. All of these have great impact on increasing the building of muscle, increased strength, and improved recovery time. These effects have been seen in men and women. It has been seen that endurance runners lose twice the zinc in their urine, as compared to days they didn’t run. Many athletes load up on carbohydrates, while limiting protein and fat intake prior to events, and this has been shown to render up to 90% of these athletes zinc deficient. This will cause a decline in energy and endurance. Zinc is essential for an effective immune system. As mentioned, endurance exercise reduces the body’s zinc content, which may be, at least in part, the reason that distance runners are more prone to colds and upper respiratory tract infections immediately following races or tough endurance workouts. Athletic performance leads to the production of harmful free radicals. Zinc functions as a powerful intracellular antioxidant, aiding in the reduction of free radicals, which helps athletes recover more quickly from athletic performance. Zinc has a positive impact on insulin release in response to increased blood glucose and aids in improved insulin sensitivity, helping the uptake of glucose by muscle cells. Up to 40% of athletes have been seen to have low zinc levels. Manganese Collagen Formation Manganese activates prolidase, an enzyme that produces proline, an amino acid that helps skin cells form collagen. Collagen is a protein that gives strength and shape to many tissues, including skin, muscles, ligaments, and bones.

Blood Clotting Manganese works with vitamin K to help form blood clots, which is the first step in wound healing. This can help stop blood loss from an open wound. Manganese also helps the body form bones and connective tissue. Copper Copper helps maintain collagen and elastin, which are important structural components of the body. Without enough copper, the body can't replace damaged connective tissue or collagen, which can lead to joint problems as tissues break down. Helps the body signal tissue remodeling, which removes scarred tissue and helps produce new, healthy tissue. Copper also helps with: * Making red blood cells * Keeping nerve cells healthy * Supporting the immune system * Protecting cells from damage * Absorbing iron * Turning sugar into energy (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/copper-your-health) B Complex B-complex vitamins give us the energy to repair, heal, and keep on moving. Studies show that B vitamins help to metabolize the protein we need to make new muscle cells, as well as repair those micro-tears that cause soreness. Vitamin C Helps the body produce collagen, a protein that's a key component of connective tissue and vital for wound healing. It also helps reduce inflammation and protects against infection.