title: Effects of a multivitamin and iron supplement on running performance in Gambian children.
abstract: Forty boys and girls between 11 and 14.5 years with evidence of subclinical vitamin deficiencies were allocated to two groups to receive, twice weekly, either a placebo or a multivitamin and iron supplement. Prior to supplementation and on two subsequent occasions about 5 weeks apart, the children performed an exercise regimen on a treadmill during which expired air was collected and heart rate monitored. The supplement resulted in marked improvements in riboflavin and vitamin C status and checked the decline in iron stores seen in the unsupplemented children. During the study the running performance of unsupplemented children deteriorated, and markedly so in a subgroup with initially poor nutrient status. The vitamin and iron supplement prevented this deterioration so as to produce a significant reduction in the energy cost of treadmill running in the more malnourished subgroup, relative to the changes seen in children receiving no supplement.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005714:Gambia; D006339:Heart Rate; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000187:drug effects*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012257:Riboflavin Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012424:Rural Population; D013831:Thiamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D012256:Riboflavin; D013831:Thiamine