When Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung climb on their bikes for the 2015 Tour de France on 4 July, there will be a lot riding on them. They will be the first team taking part from South Africa or the African continent in the race’s 101 year history.
They need to be in peak physical condition for the gruelling three-week, 3 344km endurance challenge, and to maintain condition. This is as much a challenge for their medical team as for the riders.
Emvit is the team’s official medical sponsor, and its range of scientifically-formulated multivitamins, which contain precise amounts of key vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in an optimally balanced formulation, is a vital component of the athletes’ individualised nutritional plans.
A multivitamin/mineral supplement is advised for all athletes who are concerned that their diet may not be a sufficient, but especially for athletes enduring the levels of physical stress experienced while training for and racing in an event like the Tour de France.
Vitamins and minerals are crucial in energy production, haemoglobin synthesis, maintenance of strong bones, repair of muscle tissue, immune functioning, and protection against oxidative damage. Yet exercise stresses many of the metabolic pathways where micronutrients are required, and training can result in muscle and biochemical changes that increase micronutrient needs2 At the same time, exercise increases the turnover and loss of micronutrients from the body in sweat and urine.
This means athletes can require higher intakes of micronutrients to cover the increased needs for building, repair and maintenance of lean body mass. A healthy diet high in vegetables and fruit with lean meat and fish may not be enough, especially as modern methods of producing food may reduce its micronutrient levels.
Emvit contains vital micronutrients including zinc and magnesium — minerals which are often found to be low in the diets of athletes — and potassium, an electrolyte that is essential for nerve transmission and is lost in sweat. Zinc plays a key role in muscle repair and immunity, and low levels have been linked to decreased cardio-respiratory function and strength. Magnesium is vital for cellular metabolism, and too little can impair endurance and cause cramping.
Emvit also has B-complex vitamins needed for red cell production, protein synthesis and tissue repair, and iron crucial for oxygen transport in the body. Iron deficiency reduces physical ability, and endurance athletes and those exercising at high altitude or following vegetarian diets are especially at risk – some may require additional supplementation with iron supplement such as Ferrimed.
Dr Jarrad van Zuydam.
Dr Jon Patricios.
‘In a grand cycling tour such as the Tour de France, keeping riders healthy enough to perform at their best for three weeks is a major challenge,’ says MTN-Qhubeka team doctor Dr Jarrad van Zuydam. ‘Emvit’s medical sponsorship has allowed us to provide our riders with high level medical care throughout the season. We can be confident that our riders are ingesting appropriate quantities of the necessary micronutrients even during times when the food might not be adequate.’
Adds team sports medicine consultant Dr Jon Patricios: ‘In races this long, nutrition is an absolute priority, in particular the replenishment after each stage. Any deficiencies of essential micronutrients or inadequate intake of macronutrients for recovery would soon result in decreasing performance or even illness. By using the Emvit range of supplements we can be satisfied that our riders are getting the recommended daily doses of all the necessary micronutrients for peak performance.’
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