General Health & Fitness

You know the term 'vitamins' because it's used everywhere: in fitness magazines, on your moisturizer, and, of course, on nutrition labels. Did you know that there are two types of vitamins? Water soluble vitamins, which you'll commonly find in mega doses such as Vitamin C during the cold season. There are also fat soluble vitamins, which, as the name suggests, rely on dietary and body fat to be transported and stored. If you are a very active person, you may be burning through more fat than you realize. This sets up a possibility of becoming deficient in fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A. Let's take a look at the top 3 reasons you should consider a Vitamin A supplement to support your fitness goals.

3. Supports Bone Health

Although Vitamin D and Calcium get all of the attention when it comes to your bones, not many people realize that Vitamin A also plays an important role in your bone health. Why does bone health matter during exercise? Weak bones are more prone to breaks. As you age, this can become extremely problematic as broken bones may never fully recover. You can support your bone health by engaging in weight bearing exercise and supplementing with Vitamin A. Weight bearing exercises help to increase bone mineral density while Vitamin A protects and supports overall bone health. (1)

2. Alleviates Post-Workout Inflammation

If you've ever exercised before, then you're familiar with the post-workout inflammation and soreness that follows you into the next day. This soreness is a form of inflammation caused by harmless microtears in the muscle tissue. From here, the muscle tissue will heal and recover stronger than before. Soreness doesn't need to pester you every time you work out. By supplementing with Vitamin A, you may be able to reduce post-workout inflammation, allowing you to jump back into the gym sooner without the trouble of soreness. (2)

1. Boosts Immunity & Recovery

Your immune system is always busy, protecting you and your body from harmful invaders. It also has to deal with the daily stresses of life. Over time, your immune system may weaken to the point where bacteria or viruses are able to sneak in and set up shop. No one likes being sick, especially when it keeps you from working out. Supplementing with Vitamin A may help to improve your body's immune response. This will keep you in tip top shape, allowing you to recovery efficiently and stay true to your gym schedule. (3)

Conclusion

There are plenty of vitamins and minerals that get attention when it comes to boosting your fitness life. Surprisingly, you don't hear much about Vitamin A. Studies show that supplementing safely with Vitamin A may help to boost your fitness experience. You may be able to avoid soreness, recover faster, support your bone health, and improve your health overall.

Looking for a high-quality Vitamin A supplement? Check out all of your options with the complete Amino Z Vitamin A supplement collection.

References

1. "Vitamin A and Bone Health." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.

2. L. M. O. Caram, R. A. F. Amaral, R. Ferrari, et al., 'Serum Vitamin A and Inflammatory Markers in Individuals with and without Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,' Mediators of Inflammation, vol. 2015, Article ID 862086, 6 pages, 2015. doi:10.1155/2015/862086

3. J. Rodrigo Mora, Makoto Iwata, and Ulrich H. von Andrian. Vitamin effects on the immune system: vitamins A and D take centre stage. Nat Rev Immunol. 2008 Sep; 8(9): 685–698.

Many of my articles intended to debunk common myths surrounding the perceived effectiveness of certain supplements in the world of fitness. On the other hand, although sometimes the effects can be inconsistent, creatine generally works, there's no question about that and with the currently available scientific data to back this up, I am in no position to criticize its efficacy. However, the increase in strength and energy comes at a cost, kidney damage, liver problems, muscle camping, diarrhea, impaired thermoregulation and death just for starters. Or is it really?

The well-publicized side effects of creatine are generally hypothesised theories based on how the supplement works inside the body under extreme doses. Creatine is an organic acid that is synthesized by the kidney, pancreas and liver to help to supply energy to the body by increasing the formation of ATP. Theoretically, creatine uptake in muscle can result in an increase in fluid retention hence may affect the body's fluid balance and ability to dissipate heat. On the other hand, the body needs to get rid of and compensate for the extra creatine consumed, which puts extra strain on the kidneys and liver. The association between creatine use and liver and kidney damage was thus made based on a few case reports and small changes in organ function indicators.

The theorized side effects have their scientific merits. However, if used properly, hardly any of the proposed side effects of creatine have been confirmed in well-controlled, randomized studies conducted on healthy subjects. Of course, you should not use creatine if you have an underlining health condition, especially kidney or liver problems, and you should not overdose, which may result in unwanted side effects. But if you are perfectly healthy, not allergic to any of the contents in the supplement that you ingest, and follow the proper guideline of oral creatine supplementation, it is very safe.

How much creatine should I use then? One should always strive to achieve the best results with the lowest dose possible. According to the Mayo Clinic, a typical loading dose could be anywhere around 9-25 grams daily (depends on body weight) with good fluid intake for 4-7 days and a typical maintenance dose would be 2-20 grams daily for 5 days up to 12 weeks depends on body weight. This is just a general guideline and you should always tailor your regime based on your own circumstances. But remember, the effect of creatine can be inconsistent between different people and if you feel that the creatine you are taking does not give the expected result, it may not be the problem of dosage but the efficacy of the supplement itself.

All in all creatine is safe supplement to use when taken properly.