CAN VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS IMPROVE SPORT PERFORMANCE?
Gulping megadoses of vitamin supplements will never improve upon a poor diet. Eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables will protect against deficiencies in the B-complex vitamins, antioxidants C, E and beta-carotene. Researchers agree that valuable phytochemicals contained in natural food sources are beneficial in many ways not yet understood. Other questions regarding supplementing vitamins and how they factor into sports performance are discussed by the experts Dan Benardot, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. Ellen Coleman, M.P.H., M.A., R.D. Department of Exercise Science Nutrition Consultant Georgia State University The Sport Clinic Atlanta, Georgia Riverside, California Priscilla Clarkson, Ph.D. Melinda Manore, Ph.D., R.D. Department of Exercise Science Department of Nutrition and Food Management University of Massachusetts Oregon State University Amherst, Massachusetts Corvallis, Oregon KEY POINTS Vitamin deficiencies among various groups of athletes are uncommon, but there are some indivi
