• Calcium – Is the most prevalent mineral in the body and exists in all bones and teeth. Calcium is also needed for proper blood clotting. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for an adult is 1,000 mg.
• Iron – Needed for transporting oxygen in red blood cells, for making hemoglobin (part of the red blood cells). RDA is 18 mg a day.
• Potassium – Helps in muscle recuperation, helps in building the nerve system.
• Magnesium – Cell repair, converts food to energy, helps regulate body temperature RDA is 300 mg. a day.
• Omega 3 fatty acids – help in regulating cholesterol and overall heart health. Anti inflammatory, and help in brain function and memory.

Trace minerals are those nutritional minerals that are found in the body only in small amounts but when they are missing, it can cause health problems.

• Chromium – Is supposed to help us process glucose and help in the creation of lean muscles.
• Zinc – Immune system booster, fights viral infections, helps in breaking down foods. RDA – 11 mg. a day.
• Selenium -200 mcg a day. Selenium helps the body fight abnormalities in the form of different cancers.
• Copper – Is needed to help the enzymes with metabolism.
• Iodine – Helps the thyroid gland produce hormones. RDA is150 mcg a day.
• Niacin – Helps control cholesterol and lower triglycerides.
• Psyllium – Fiber. Also good for regulation cholesterol, boosts the effects of statins – Cholesterol lowering drugs.
• Phosphorus – 800 mg a day

Please keep in mind that dietary supplements may cause an allergic reaction in some people, and may interact with other medication you are taking. Since this field of nutritional supplements is not yet fully regulated, results may be different from one brand to another. It is a good idea to tell your doctor which minerals you are planning to take.

Aside from all the elements our bodies need in order to function normally, there is another element we should think about which is the electrical tension inside our bodies that enables transmission of nutrients into specific cells.

Called an electric tension (and muscles, blood and nerve cells are considered electric tissues), Electrolytes facilitate the transmission of ingredients from and to our cells and control the pressure inside and outside the cells. This affects the amount of water in the body and its absorption, the elasticity of the blood and the behavior of nerve cells.

Acute imbalance of electrolytes in the body, as in the case of dehydration or over – hydration may cause serious health problem and even lead to death. Some college hazing rituals a few years made it all too clear. A student was forced to drink huge amounts of water that disturbed the electrolyte balance of his body and led to his death.

Electrolytes are found in sports drinks and contain sugars, salts and potassium. They are meant to replenish the body and return it to its normal balance. After a long and strenuous physical activity, the body loses some of those important elements by sweating them out. Same thing happens when a child is sick and vomits frequently. Not only water is lost and needs to be replenished but also those important elements we rarely think about.

Electrolytes drinks can be made at home by using the correct measures of sugar, salt, potassium and baking soda dissolved in water. However the professional electrolyte drinks include also sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium.

Bodybuilders are very careful about the amount of electrolytes in their bodies. A long exercise session of 3 hours or more requires special consideration because their bodies will not perform at the top of their abilities if the blood is too thick from loss of water and muscle and nerve cells cannot get the proper nutrition. Mothers know that their child may get to a hospital after a simple episode of vomiting if they did not get enough electrolytes back in their systems.

That is why you can find electrolyte drinks in aisles that cater to small children and infants. Those drinks contain the right amounts of elements needs for a small size body to function. That is an important factor you should consider when dieting. Eliminating all the sugars and all the salts from your nutrition can cause a damage that will not be easy to reverse.

The best sports nutrition, experts say, is good and balanced nutrition that takes into account how many calories you burn in a workout and supplements it later. A few products help make this process quicker :-

Protein supplements – in the form of powders, pills, shakes or bars. While these sources for protein are of those most popular ones, there are also others sources of protein like Casein, Egg, and Soy proteins. It is a fast absorbing supplement and is to be taken before workout to increase stamina and performance. The Whey protein is derived from milk and contains up to 90% pure protein.

Creatine – Helps in rebuilding muscles and increase energy. The creatine is produced naturally in the body in the liver. With higher energy levels you can exercise longer and harder. In itself it will not make your muscles more defined but the vigorous exercise you are able to perform will do that.

Glutamine – an Amino Acid found in big quantities in the muscles. It also helps restore and rebuild tired muscles by transporting nitrogen. It helps in the digestive system by increasing the absorption of nutrients from food.

Nitric Oxide – Is found in the body in the form of gas, but in supplements in forms of pills and powders. It increases blood flow to the muscles and is very popular with body builders. It helps increase muscle size.

Testosterone supplements – Help boost the level of testosterone in a man’s body. Also called anabolic steroids, they increase strength and body mass, give more energy and libido and elevate the mood.

Some supplements like Ephedrine are known for their ability to stimulate the brain, increase the rate of the heart, and constrict blood vessels which raises blood pressure and expends the lungs so you can absorb more oxygen. It increases metabolism by increasing body heat. This supplement which was very popular for weight loss programs has been banned by the FDA for causing heart attacks in people who took it in large doses.

This comes to show that not all the information about sports nutritional supplements is widely known. This is a relatively new field of nutrition and supplements that are used today by body builders, and some of them might be banned in the future or cause damages yet unknown. This field is not yet regulated and the difference and effectiveness of different brands varies wildly.

There is the Chinese and Siberian Ginseng – A root used by the locals to regulate blood pressure, clean the blood, and improves stamina and overall well being. It became very popular in the United States and for a time ginseng was added to everything.

A few years before that, there was the Apple Vinegar phase which praised the ability of the vinegar, taken as a nutritional supplement, to melt away fat and clean your system out.
There was the Beta Carotene fad, and then the Green Tea and its benefits. This one became main stream. Now green tea is sold wherever black or English tea is. Green tea is rich in vitamin C, and is known to increase the metabolism. It does not have some of the harmful ingredients of the black tea.

Another kind of nutritional supplement is St. John’s worth. It has been selling very well in the past 10 years, which leads us to believe people are happy with the results. St. John’s Worth is known as an energy and well being booster and stress reducer.

In the last few years, Black Cohosh was hailed to have a soothing effect on premenstrual women, and was considered as a replacement to hormone therapy in post- menopausal women. Studies were conducted and concluded by saying “…there is not enough reliable data to determine…” whether there’s any truth to this claim. The researchers insist that there is not enough information because the study was started only 6 months before.

And now we have the Acai Berry !

The berry of the Acai palm out of the Amazon forest of Brazil is widely used by the local tribes as an important food source, and as juice drink by all the others. In the last few years a wave of interest filled the United States in an Acai Berry fever. It was said to increase energy levels, sexual performance, appearance and digestion. The benefits were due to the very high level of antioxidants, more than in any other fruit.

Unfortunately, after sprouting hundreds of websites selling acai berry products, in forms ranging from drinks to pills, powders and lotions, with promises of weight lose and improved sleep, a serious study of the claims has not been done as of yet.

The internet has a well of information about herbal nutritional supplements. Make sure you educate yourself before you start taking any nutritional supplements. Telling your doctor what you plan on taking is also a good idea. You have to make sure it does not contradict any other medication you are taking.

Which vitamins to take is another question. And the more you’ll ask the more answers you’ll get. Here is some order in the confusion and the recommended daily allowance by the food and drug administration.

Vitamin A – Helps in bone growth and in vision, appetite and taste. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 800 mcg.
Vitamin B1 – Helps regulate the nerve system, heart, digestion and muscles. RDA – 1.2 mg.
Vitamin B2 – Helps in the breaking of fat, protein and carbohydrates. Helps in the building of nails, hair and skin. RDA – 1.3 mg.
Vitamin B6 – Helps in the absorption of proteins and carbs. RDA – 1.3 mg.
Vitamin B12 – Boosts energy, helps in the production of red blood cells. RDA – 2.4 mcg.
Vitamin C – Immune booster, helps in healing of wounds, preventing scurvy. RDA 90mg.
Vitamin D – Enables the absorption of calcium . RDA – 5 mcg. a day.
Vitamin E – An antioxidant, fights infections, lubricates, has an important part in the building of nails and hair. RDA 15 mg.
Folic Acid – Helps in the production of red blood cells. Women lacking in folic acid might give birth to babies with neurological problems.
Vitamin K – promotes strong bones, helps in blood clotting. RDA 100 mcg.
Coenzyme Q10 – The body makes it and our cells use it, but we don’t make enough. The coenzyme is important in converting food to energy. RDA 100 mg.

Those are the basic vitamins (today we know also of B3, B5, B7 etc.) we should all take the recommended dosage. There is a difference between men and women. This list is the average to be used as a guideline.

Most of those vitamins have been grouped together in multi-vitamins to make it easy to take. Some people say those recommendations are too low. From time to time there comes a doctor who recommends loading the body with a certain vitamin to prevent diseases (used to be B12, then C. Now it’s vitamin D.) Try to get as much vitamins as you can from proper nutrition and use supplements to make up the gap.