Vitamins for Sore Muscles & Joints
When starting up a new exercise routine, muscle and joint soreness are usually inevitable. You may stretch before and after exercise to reduce the onset of muscle and joint soreness but, this doesn't always eliminate pain and soreness completely. The good news is there are a few vitamins and supplements you can take to help relieve your pain and promote healing after the fact.
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B Vitamins
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Taking a B-complex vitamin is a good place to start. A deficiency in vitamin B1 or thiamine is known to cause weakness in the limbs, muscle fatigue and pain in calf muscles. According to a Consumers Union study, a deficiency of several B vitamins together can negatively affect physical performance and it concluded that research be continued for the after exercise effects of B vitamin intake levels.
Vitamin C
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Vitamin C is necessary for many functions in the body. It boosts immunity and promotes healing. According to a study from BodyandFitness.com, vitamin C decreased recovery time for muscle soreness after exercising over a three day span. Two groups were studied, one group given a 3,000 mg dose of vitamin C for three days and the other group receiving a placebo. The first group showed significantly less muscle soreness than the other group who took the placebo.
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Vitamin E
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Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects cell membranes. It has been shown to reduce muscles soreness, prevent cell damage and repair muscle tissue. According to the National Institute of Health, the recommended dietary intake for vitamin E is 15 mg a day for adults. The upper limit of daily vitamin E intake is 1000 mg per day.
Biotin
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Biotin is another important vitamin because it is necessary for cell growth and for the metabolism of amino acids and fats. Although a biotin deficiency is rare, muscle pains and fatigue are common symptoms of biotin deficiency in the body. But, there is no upper limit for a daily intake of biotin and no toxic levels have been determined.
Natural Anti-Inflammatory
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Ginger is a tropical plant that has been discovered to have natural anti-inflammatory properties like ibuprofen without the adverse side effects. It has the same effects on muscle soreness and stiffness and for relieving joint pain. You can take it as a supplement or in a ginger tea. Before you reach for an over-the-counter drug, give ginger a change.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
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Glucosamine and chondroitin are found in cartilage, which is between the bones at the joints. Recently, there has been much speculation to the effects of taking glucosamine and chondriotin supplements for joint pain relief. The National Institute of Health conducted an Arthritis Interventional Trial Study on the effects of supplementing to osteoarthritis patients. The results showed that patients with moderate to severe pain showed a 25 percent better outcome of decreased pain than those who took the placebo.
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