Micronutrients are things like vitamins and minerals your body needs in small amounts. A list of some important vitamins and minerals for athletes include but are not limited to:

Vitamin D – helps with bone health and muscle function

Vitamin C – helps support your immune system

Vitamin A – helps with formation of healthy tissue and oxygen access throughout the body

B Vitamins – help with metabolism and energy release for physical activity

Iron – helps transport oxygen throughout the body

Magnesium – helps with muscle function

Zinc – helps with energy production

Calcium – helps with bone and teeth formation and is also important for muscle contraction

We like to recommend getting the majority of your vitamins and minerals from food rather than supplements. Typically, they are easier to absorb when they come from food sources, plus those sources usually contain other beneficial nutrients. Rather than attempting to track amounts of every single nutrient on this list, we’re going to focus on the ones in bold because they are some of the most important micronutrients for athletes.

VITAMIN D (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/)

The daily recommended value of vitamin D is around 600IU. Some good sources of Vitamin D include:

Salmon

Tuna

Egg yolk

Vitamin D fortified cereals

Vitamin D fortified milk

Vitamin D fortified orange juice

IRON (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/)

The daily recommended value of iron is 11mcg for females and 15mcg for males. Some good sources of iron include:

Lean meat, seafood, poultry

White beans

Dark, leafy greens (like spinach)

Iron fortified cereals

Raisins and dates

Pistachios, almonds, cashews

CALCIUM (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-Consumer/)

The daily recommended value of calcium is 1300mg. Some good sources of calcium include:

Milk, yogurt, cheese

Kale

Broccoli

Almonds

Nuts and seeds

References

US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDA)

“Sport Nutrition for Young Athletes”