Some functions of minerals and trace elements play an essential role in the aspect of physical activity. The majority of these vital substances are involved in body-building (anabolic) as well as body-degrading (catabolic) processes.The vital substances (micronutrients) iron, potassium, calcium, cobalt, copper, magnesium, manganese, sulfate, and zinc, for example, are needed for the catabolic oxidation of glucose, fatty acids, and protein. Chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese are particularly responsible for anabolic processes such as glycogenesis, fat storage, and protein biosynthesis. Other load-related functions of minerals and trace elements include:
- Structural composition of the bones and teeth
- Functional guarantee of heart contraction and muscle contraction, transmission of nerve impulses and acid-base balance.
- Regulation of cell metabolism as cofactors of a variety of enzymes and hormones.
Unlike vitamins, minerals and trace elements are incorporated into structures and chemical substances of the organism. Physically and athletically active people have a significantly increased need for minerals and trace elements, depending on the type, duration and intensity of the load, as well as environmental conditions. Several causes play a role in this. Reasons for an increased need for minerals and trace elements during sports activities:
- The altered regulatory metabolism under athletic stress, especially via increased stress hormone release – increased adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, beta-endorphin, catecholamine and aldosterone release – inhibit the activity of white blood cells and affect the absorption, distribution as well as excretion of vital substances (micronutrients).
- Decreased blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract during exercise impairs the absorption of essential trace elements.
- Traumatization or alteration of the intestinal mucosa, especially during running loads, leads to losses of minerals and trace elements and reduces, for example, the concentration of zinc and iron in the blood.
- Extreme short-term loads lead to stress-induced metabolic disorders, weakening the immune system and increased vital substances (micronutrients) are degraded or lost.
- Increased vital substance depletion due to increased metabolic activity and the high catabolic metabolic state.
- Increased loss of vital substances after active physical overload, even in the first week of recovery, mainly via the kidneys – for example, 4 grams of magnesium go after running a marathon.
- Increased excretion via stool, urine and especially sweat (competition stress) often causes consistency reduction of stool to violent watery stools. Long-distance runners lose amazing amounts of blood, protein, and minerals and trace elements under competition stress, which can far exceed those in sweat.
- If drinks with too high sugar content – over 25-50 grams per liter – are drunk during and after physical exertion, such can impair gastric emptying as well as the absorption of vital substances (micronutrients).
- Bad and wrong eating habits – too much sugar, fat, alcohol – as well as one-sided, irregular and too little food intake lead under extreme stress situations to the vital substance deficiency (macro- and micronutrients) and are usually associated with a reduction in performance as well as resilience, with functional limitations and even with health damage and diseases.
- Athletes who have to pay attention to a low body weight and eat undercaloric compared to the increased caloric turnover in training – observed in long-distance or ski runners, girls and women in gymnastics, gymnastics or figure skating – easily develop a deficit of essential vital substances (micronutrients). In conjunction with the vital substance deficiency (macro- and micronutrients), the low food intake leads to hormonal regulatory disorders. These in turn cause physical as well as psychological changes, such as anorexia and bulimia, disturbances in the menstrual cycle, demineralization of the bones with susceptibility to fatigue fractures as well as stress fractures.
- Reduction in bone density and occurrence of stress fractures due to high physical stress and mineral deficiencies.
- Sports vegetarians avoid meat, which contains a lot of iron.
- Women with heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding lose additional iron and have an increased need.
- Smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of sleep increase the need for vital substances (micronutrients).
- Increased oxygen exposure leads to increased oxidative stress.
