Chapter 10 – Micronutrients and Polyphenols: Catalysts and Protectors

By Simone do Carmo, Joseph Lillis, Jose Villa-Rodriguez and Justin Roberts

To view food solely as fuel undermines how it impacts the health of our body systems and the ability to thrive as an athlete."

Abstract

When it comes to sports nutrition, the focus is typically placed on the big players, the macronutrients, often resulting in the crucial micronutrients being overlooked. In this chapter, we have purposefully flipped our thinking towards an emphasis of wholefood nutrition, which provides quality nutrients that are at the heart of athletic performance. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are used as co-factors for biochemical processes, driving everything from metabolic pathways to optimal recovery. This chapter starts with the practitioner in mind, introducing factors to consider when assessing an athlete’s micronutrient needs, with a key focus on their gut health. A framework is then provided to help the practitioner assess and correct potential insufficiencies or deficiencies, if identified. Synergistic and antagonistic micronutrient interactions are briefly mentioned before key vitamins and minerals are reviewed, looking at their roles in a select number of physiological functions that are highly relevant for an athlete, including energy metabolism, thyroid function, immunity, and others. The second part of the chapter introduces polyphenols with regard to how their documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may be relevant for sport performance. Again, with the practitioner in mind, important considerations and strategies involving the increase of overall intake and bioavailability of polyphenols through food and supplementation are discussed, with a primary objective of supporting an athlete’s health-based performance.

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Figure 8.1b
Figure 8.3

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Cardiovascular nourishment with plant-based polyphenols – Joseph Lillis

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