FITNESS AND ESSENTIAL NUTRITION: Vitamin Function Some good food sourcesVitamin A P...

FITNESS AND ESSENTIAL NUTRITION: Vitamin Function Some good food sourcesVitamin A P...: Vitamin Function Some good food sources Vitamin A Promotes growth and repair of body tissues, bone formation, and healthy skin and hair. ...

Vitamin	Function	Some good food sources
Vitamin A	Promotes growth and repair of body tissues, bone formation, and healthy skin and hair. Essential for night vision.	Liver (all sources), giblets, some cheese, egg yolk, whole milk, butter
Beta carotene	Serves as an antioxidant.*	Sweet peppers, carrots, grape leaves, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yams, broccoli, dandelion greens, chili peppers, mustard greens, spinach, kale, turnip greens, apricots, papaya, watermelon, peaches, asparagus, winter squash, cantaloupe, muskmelon, chard
Vitamin D	Aids in the absorption of calcium and helps to build bone mass and prevent bone loss. Helps maintain blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.	Fish (herring, salmon, oysters, catfish, sardines, tuna, shrimp, mackerel), milk, margarine, fortified breakfast cereals, egg yolks, butter
Vitamin E	Serves as an antioxidant.* Needed for normal growth and development.	Oils (wheat germ, vegetable), mayonnaise, fortified breakfast cereals, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, hickory, pistachio), margarine, wheat germ, peanut butter
Vitamin K (phyllo quinone)	Needed for normal blood clotting and bone health.	Kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach, chard, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip and mustard greens, carrots, asparagus, avocados, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, apples, peaches
Vitamin C	Promotes healthy cell development, wound healing, and resistance to infections. Serves as an antioxidant.* Necessary for conversion of the inactive form of folic acid to the active form. Makes iron available for hemoglobin synthesis.	Sweet peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, strawberries, oranges, orange juice, limes, lemon juice, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, papayas, cantaloupe, tomatoes, tomato juice, asparagus, raw cabbage, spinach, pineapple, raspberries, potatoes, onions

PROTEIN INTAKE

Protein (PRO) plays several important roles in the athlete’s body but unlike
carbohydrates and fat, protein is not a primary energy source. Protein’s job is
to build and maintain muscle mass and to help regulate metabolism. These
functions are by no means less important than energy production, but since
the body does not store protein efficiently, it is needed in smaller amounts than
the other macronutrients.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are twenty unique amino acids that combine in various ways to form the proteins that the body requires. Nine of these amino acids are dubbed “essential” meaning they must
be obtained from the diet. The remaining 11 amino acids are “nonessential”
meaning they can be produced by the body. Under certain circumstances, the
body’s demand for some of these nonessential amino acids is too great and
more is needed from the diet, these are referred to as “conditionally essential.” Of the amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine (also referred to as the
branched-chain amino acids related most significantly to muscle tissue.)

Essential Amino Acids

Nonessential Amino Acid

Histidine	Alanine
Isoleucine (BCAA)	Arginine*
Leucine (BCAA)	Aspartic Acid
Lysine
Methionine	Cysteine*
Phenyalanine	Glutamic Acid
Threonine	Glutamine*
Tryptophan	Glycine*
Valine (BCAA)	Proline*
Proline*
Tyrosine