For years, people have known the benefit of Vitamin C with its ability to fight off colds and flu. What you may not have realised is that this vitamin plays a vital role in exercise. Here’s why.
Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is responsible for the growth of tissue
It is essential in the production of collagen, which makes up – among others – ligaments and tendons. Without these body parts, we would not be able to move and exercise.
This vitamin helps to strengthen artery walls
If you suffer from high blood pressure, the blood flowing through your arteries into your heart exerts a lot of pressure on the walls of the arteries. This could lead to a multitude of cardiac diseases. Vitamin C helps to overcome this by strengthening the walls of the arteries.
Nutritionist Sally Ann Creed outlines a number of other benefits that Vitamin C has for the cardiac system:
- Decreases total cholesterol
- Lowers the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol
- Raises the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol
- Enables blood vessels to relax
- Normalizes blood pressure
- Controls free-radical activity and damage
- Reduces the risk of blood clots
A vital part in protein metabolism
When we exercise, our muscles tear microscopically. When they repair themselves they need protein to do this. This vitamin aids in this process owing to the fact that it assists in protein metabolism.
Specific benefits of Vitamin C for men and women
For men, Vitamin C helps to keep testosterone levels high. The benefit of this – for exercise – is that men will develop more muscle, decrease their fat levels and develop stronger bones.
For women who suffer from endometriosis, Vitamin C has shown to protect them. It also prevents blood clotting that is caused by reduced levels of prothrombin, thrombin, and thrombokinase.
Where can you find Vitamin C?
Besides citrus fruits – such as oranges, grapefruit and naartjies – you can find Vitamin C naturally in – for example – the following foods:
- Red peppers,
- Kale,
- Brussels sprouts,
- Broccoli,
- Strawberries,
- Guava,
- Kiwis, and
- Green pepper.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If a client comes to a personal trainer with a nutritional question, they need to be at the top of their game. They can’t afford to stutter and say: “I don’t know.” This is why it’s so vital for personal trainers to have a good understanding of nutrition. To get this, sign up for Trifocus Fitness Academy’s Specialised Nutrition course! Once you have this fitness qualification under your belt, you’ll be the best personal trainer out there!
