Free Shipping
on all orders
Delivery TimeShipping Method
1 - 5 business daysFREE Standard Delivery
2 business daysFedEx 2Day
1 business dayFedEx Overnight

Carriers

fedex shipping logoups shipping logousps shipping logo
Orders under 1lb or to APO/FPO & PO Box destinations: These orders will ship with USPS and typically take 1 to 2 days longer than the Standard Delivery estimate. Free Shipping Offers: Only valid within the contiguous USA. Future subscriptions will renew with free shipping if the renewal amount is $49 or higher otherwise shipping will cost $7.95.
 
  • Hydration
    Hydration
    • All Hydration
    • Workout
      Workout
      • All Workout
      • Caffeinated
      • High Carb (>60g)
      • High Flavor
      • High Sodium (>750mg)
      • Low Flavor
      • Low Sugar (<5g)
      • Neutral
    • Daily
      Daily
      • All Daily
      • Caffeinated
      • Effervescent
      • High Sodium (>750mg)
      • Powder
      • Stevia Free
    • Pre-Workout
      Pre-Workout
      • All Pre-Workout
      • Caffeinated
      • Caffeine Free
    • Electrolyte Boosters
    • Cramp Solutions
  • Carbs
    Carbs
    • All Carbs
    • Gels
      Gels
      • All Gels
      • Caffeinated
      • High Carb (>40g)
      • High Sodium (>100mg)
      • Isotonic
      • Maple Syrup
      • Neutral Flavor
      • Nootropic
      • Real Food
    • Drinks
      Drinks
      • All Drinks
      • Caffeinated
      • 40g to 79g of Carbs
      • Over 80g of Carbs
    • Chews
      Chews
      • All Chews
      • Caffeinated
      • High Sodium (>100mg)
      • Neutral Flavor
      • Sour Tasting
    • Bars
      Bars
      • All Bars
      • Gluten Free
      • High Carb (>40g)
      • Kids
      • Meal
      • Nut
      • Oat
      • Protein (>10g)
      • Real Food
      • Rice
    • Waffles
      Waffles
      • All Waffles
      • Gluten Free
      • Thin
  • Protein
    Protein
    • All Protein
    • Whey
      Whey
      • All Whey
      • Chocolate
      • Vanilla
    • Clear Whey
    • Collagen
      Collagen
      • All Collagen
      • Peptides
      • Skin & Nail Health
    • Isolate
      Isolate
      • All Isolate
      • Clear
      • Whey
    • Protein Bars
      Protein Bars
      • All Protein Bars
      • Low Sugar (<4g)
      • Plant Based
      • Vegan
      • Workout (>20g)
    • Plant
      Plant
      • All Plant
      • Brown Rice
      • Hemp
      • Pea Protein
      • Soy
      • Vegan
    • Night Protein
    • Recovery Shakes
    • Blenders & Shakers
  • Supplements
    Supplements
    • All Supplements
    • Formulas
    • Vitamin & Minerals
      Vitamin & Minerals
      • All Vitamin & Minerals
      • Vitamin B
      • Greens & Reds
      • Gummies
      • Immune Support
      • Iron
      • Magnesium
      • Multi-Vitamins
      • Omegas
      • Vitamin C
      • Vitamin D
      • Women Specific
      • Zinc
    • Creatine
    • Athlete Performance
      Athlete Performance
      • All Athlete Performance
      • Adaptogens
      • Beta-Alanine
      • Bicarb
      • Caffeine
      • Creatine
      • Ketones
      • Nitric Oxide
      • Pre-workout
    • Strength
      Strength
      • All Strength
      • Aminos & BCAAs
      • Peptides
    • Sleep
      Sleep
      • All Sleep
      • Go to Sleep
      • Magnesium
      • Melatonin
      • Stay Asleep
    • Recovery
      Recovery
      • All Recovery
      • Aminos & BCAAs
      • Beets
      • Collagen
      • Injury
      • Joint Support
      • Tart Cherry
      • Turmeric
    • Gut & Biotics
      Gut & Biotics
      • All Gut & Biotics
      • L-Glutamine
      • Lactic Probiotics
      • Probiotics
    • Longevity
      Longevity
      • All Longevity
      • Brain Health
      • Glutathione
      • Heart Health
      • Liver Health
      • NAD
      • Resveratrol
      • Stress
    • Focus
    • Hormone Support
    • GLP1 & Weight Loss
      GLP1 & Weight Loss
      • All GLP1 & Weight Loss
      • Blood Sugar Regulation
      • Metabolism
    • Other
      Other
      • All Other
      • Apple Cider Vinegar
      • Copper & Silver
      • Energy
      • Keto
    • Ketones
      Ketones
      • All Ketones
      • Bulk Bottles
      • Ready to Drink
      • Shots
  • Gear
    Gear
    • All Gear
    • Packs & Vests & Belts
      Packs & Vests & Belts
      • All Packs & Vests & Belts
      • Accessories
      • Bladders
      • Hydration Pack
      • Insulated
      • Running Belts
      • Running Vests
      • Soft Flasks
    • Technology
      Technology
      • All Technology
      • Cooling
      • Headphones
      • Heat Sensor
      • Hydration Sensor
      • Sleep
      • Swim Goggles
      • Watches
    • Recovery Gear
      Recovery Gear
      • All Recovery Gear
      • Accessories
      • Back
      • Compression
      • Cooling
      • Cupping
      • Feet
      • Heat
      • Massage & Percussion
      • Muscle Stim
      • Red Light
      • Rollers
    • Bottles
      Bottles
      • All Bottles
      • Branded
      • Cleaning
      • Daily Hydration
      • Insulated Bottles
      • Running
      • Shaker
      • Soft Flasks
      • Water Bottles
    • Socks
      Socks
      • All Socks
      • Compression
      • Feed Branded
      • Run & Ride
    • Hats & Headgear
      Hats & Headgear
      • All Hats & Headgear
      • Beanies
      • Bucket Hats
      • Cooling
      • Headbands
      • Running Hats
      • Sweat Trapping
      • Visors
    • Bags
      Bags
      • All Bags
      • Bike
      • Day & Gym
      • Hike
      • Medical
      • Travel
    • Body
      Body
      • All Body
      • Anti-Chafe
      • Foot Care
      • Pain Relief & Recovery
      • Shaving
      • Skin & Hair
      • Sun Protection
    • Feed Gear
      Feed Gear
      • All Feed Gear
      • Clothing
      • Cycling Kits
      • Training Gear
  • Superfoods
    Superfoods
    • All Superfoods
    • Super Drinks
    • Functional Gummies
    • Mushrooms
    • Beets
    • Tart Cherry
    • Meat Snacks
    • Bone Broth
    • Snacks
    • Oatmeal
    • Pancakes
    • Granola
    • Baking
    • Coffee
  • Hot Deals
    Hot Deals
    Shop All Hot Deals
  • Insider
  • New
    Shop All New
  • Brands
    Top Brands at The Feed
    View All 175+ Brands
Top Brands
Hot DealsInsiderNewBrands
LoginCreate an account
Change country
All undefined
All undefined
The Feed Insider
Cycling
Running
Triathlon
How to Fuel
Feed News
Training Tips
Athlete Stories
Product Highlight
Background
  1. Home
  2. The Feed Insider
  3. Vitamins & Supplements: What’s Essential
Sep 23, 2016

Vitamins & Supplements: What’s Essential

By Adam Galuszka

COO at The Feed

The theory goes that a well-balanced diet will provide all the vitamins and minerals you need to support health and training regimes. However, athletes may have additional requirements.

"Vitamins & Supplements: What’s Essential and What’s Not" was written by Pip Taylor. Pip is an accredited sports nutritionist and accredited dietitian, professional triathlete, author and mother of two. Pip recently had her first book published, 'The Athlete’s Fix’. Check out Pip's favorite snacks for fueling workouts here.

 

The theory goes that a well-balanced diet will provide all the vitamins and minerals you need to support health and training regimes. However, athletes may have additional requirements: heavy sweating can lead to large losses of certain minerals, elevated metabolic demands, as well as exercise-associated muscle damage, and tissue repair. The most common vitamins and minerals that athletes lack are iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, Vitamin D and the B vitamins. But supplementation should not be taken lightly, as overdoing things can be dangerous for health and detrimental to performance. It is worthwhile spending a little extra time and money to ensure you are getting a high quality and safe product. Here are a few essentials to look out for:

 

  • Iron: Iron deficiency is prevalent in most athletes especially in females, vegans, and vegetarians (or for any restricted dietary intake). Because iron is needed for the production of hemoglobin and is involved in energy production, symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue/lethargy, reduced tolerance to training and impaired recovery, pale skin, and increased incidence of infection/illness.
    • Supplements:  Iron should be taken under the direction of a physician after an iron deficiency is diagnosed (via a simple blood test) to avoid complications from iron overload.
  • Magnesium: Sweat contains multiple minerals, including magnesium. Magnesium is needed for the relaxation phase of muscular contraction – so a deficiency can mean reduced power but can also lead to cramping and muscle soreness. Magnesium is found in dark leafy greens and other vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes, of which we generally don’t tend to eat enough. Couple this with intense training and deficiency is very common amongst athletes.
    • Supplements: Available in pill or powder form and are generally safe to take without medical direction. We recommend Natural Vitality Natural Calm.
  • Sodium: Clean eating athletes can often be deficient in sodium. Fresh foods contain little to no sodium. During the summer or throughout intense workouts, significant quantities of sodium can be lost via sweat. Mild deficiency leads to muscle cramps, early fatigue, and hydration issues, and can be dangerous.
    • Supplement: Basic salt tablets provide sodium but for a more balanced intake try a low-calorie electrolyte sports drink or electrolyte tablet to assist in rapidly replacing fluids and electrolytes. My favorite electrolyte drink mix is Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix.
  • Omega 3 fatty acids: Most diets don’t provide adequate Omega 3 to balance out intake of Omega 6’s. This can promote inflammation, which means reduced recovery and adaptations to training as well as increased risk of illness.
    • Supplement: Look for quality supplements from sustainable sources. Algal sources provide sustainable vegan options. For another option, check out SFH Fish Oil.
  • Probiotics: A healthy gut is essential for absorption of nutrients but is also linked with good health in general. Probiotics are ‘healthy’ bacteria that help support good gut health and function. They can be found in many types of foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha but also in pill and powder form. There is no known upper limit for intake of probiotics but some people do experience changes in GI function temporarily when introducing probiotics to their diet.
    • Supplement: Look for a multi-strain supplement with a high live count of bacteria. Check the label as some supplements need to be refrigerated.

 

In Summary: Eat a wide variety of healthy whole foods, but don’t be afraid to use supplements wisely to help support optimal health and activity. Choose carefully, seek out guidance, and take a quality over quantity approach.

 

Check out The Feed's supplement options HERE.

The Feed.
About Us
Careers
Feed Insider Blog
NSF Certified for Sport®
All Products
Mobile App for Android
Socials
Instagram
YouTube
Strava
TikTok
Facebook
Twitter
Policy
Privacy Policy
Satisfaction Guarantee
Returns & Exchanges
Subscription Policy
Terms of Service
Cookie Policy
Email Us
hello@thefeed.com
Text Us*
+1 (720) 864 0086
Call Us
+1 (720) 864 0086

Mon-Fri 9am to 4pm MT

Address
12303 Airport Way #350,
Broomfield, CO 80021
USA

*By texting us, you consent to receive texts messages from The Feed at the mobile number you used to text and you are opting-in to receive future messages or a phone call at the number you provided. Message and Data rates may apply. Reply STOP anytime to opt-out.

About The Feed

We are athletes like you. We have experienced how eating smarter can make a meaningful difference in our training. Improving your nutrition is one of the quickest ways to see meaningful improvements in performance.

Subscribe

Get the latest new products, pro tips and be first to know about sales and special offers.

Change your country
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. (FDA Disclaimer)
image