Vitamins for Muscle Tone

The human body is similar to a machine. It needs the right parts, environment and maintenance to work correctly. For the human body to work as it should and be as healthy as it can, it needs the right nutrition and physical exercise. Vitamins play a major role in healthy muscle function. The two types of important vitamins are water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Excess water-soluble vitamins are excreted in urine, while excess fat-soluble vitamins are stored in fat cells.

Vitamin B1

• Soy products can be a good source of vitamin B1.

  Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamin, is a water-soluble vitamin and important for maintaining muscle tone. Vitamin B1 is especially noted for muscle maintenance of the GI tract and the heart. Vitamin B1 is essential for the production of acetylcholine, which is necessary for the maintenance of muscle tone throughout the body. Deficiencies of B1 can lead to muscle weakness and wasting. Good sources of B1 are fortified cereals, soy milk and pork. The recommended daily intake by the CDC is 1.2 mg/day for men and 1.1 mg/day for women.

Vitamin E

• Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and is an important antioxidant. Deficiency of Vitamin E can cause muscle loss and muscle weakness. It is important to meet the recommendations for Vitamin E to prevent further muscle loss and to maintain what you already have. The recommended daily allowance is 15 mg/day for both men and women. Good sources of Vitamin E are leafy green vegetables, oils and eggs.

Vitamin C

• Oranges are known for being a good source of vitamin C.

  Vitamin C is mostly known as a cure for colds, but is also a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a cofactor and antioxidant. Vitamin C is a cofactor for collagen formation and amino acid conversion and also assists in hormone production. Vitamin C deficiency can cause muscle degeneration throughout the body, primarily the heart. Adequate intake of vitamin C is necessary to maintain proper muscle function and tone. The recommendations are 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women. Good sources of vitamin C are strawberries, kiwi and bell pepper.

Vitamin D

• Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, has many important functions in the body, and one of them is to promote healthy muscle maintenance. Vitamin D is used to treat many disorders because it affects many different tissues and organs in the body. The two methods for obtaining vitamin D are exposure to sunlight and eating foods containing vitamin D. The recommendations for acquiring vitamin D from sun exposure are exposing the face and hands at least two to three times a week, five to 10 minutes per day. Good food sources include fortified milk, cereal and fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna.