title: Vitamin and mineral supplementation: effect on the running performance of trained athletes.
abstract: There is limited scientific justification for the widespread use of vitamin and mineral supplements by athletes. We used a 9-mo, placebo-controlled crossover study design to determine whether a multivitamin and mineral supplement influenced the athletic performance of 30 competitive male athletes. At 0, 3, 6, and 9 mo the runners performed a progressive treadmill test to volitional exhaustion for measurement of maximal oxygen consumption, peak running speed, blood lactate turnpoint, and peak postexercise blood lactate level. Running time in a 15 km time trial was also measured. None of these variables was influenced by 3 mo of active supplementation. We conclude that 3 mo of multivitamin and mineral supplementation was without any measurable ergogenic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Cape Town Medical School, South Africa.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Weight
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Myburgh
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Noakes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D012107:Research Design; D012420:Running; D013997:Time Factors; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D014815:Vitamins