Sports Nutrition: Vitamins and Trace Elements 2e » (2nd Edition)

In competitive sports where an extra breath or a millisecond quicker neural response can spell the difference between fame and mediocrity, a number of myths have persisted around the impact of what might be considered megadoses of various vitamins and trace elements. We do know that a growing body of research indicates that work capacity, oxygen consumption, and other measures of physical performance are affected by a deficiency or borderline deficiency in specific vitamins or essential trace elements. However, when it comes to providing larger doses, the research is conflicted

The second edition of Sports Nutrition: Vitamins and Trace Elements, edited by two of the most respected experts in sports nutrition, provides an updated critical review of these reports. The latest volume of this highly popular work includes a collection of chapters written by top researchers from several academic disciplines. Applying their expertise in specific vitamin or trace element nutrition as it relates to exercise and sports, they weigh in on the full alphabet of vitamins as well as a variety of trace elements, incorporating the most recent research. This edition adds chapters on choline and iodine. It also emphasizes new findings on vitamin and mineral metabolic reactions and provides in-depth discussion on the overuse of vitamins to toxic levels and its effect on physical performance.

Sports nutritionists, sports medicine and fitness professionals, researchers, exercise physiologists, students, health practitioners, as well as those lay-persons interested in optimal nutrition will find this book especially timely and highly helpful in sorting myth from truth.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Meenakshi Garg, MD, MPH(Indiana University School of Medicine)
Description:The authors critically review current research about the interplay of sports nutrition and athletic performance. Each chapter systematically reviews a vitamin or trace element, emphasizing its impact on exercise and performance. This updated edition addresses the most recent research on the 14 vitamins and 12 trace elements covered.
Purpose:The authors seek to review aspects of individual vitamins and elements that may have relevance to physical performance. Via comparative analyses of recent research, they summarize evidence-based findings in the sports nutrition literature while proposing thoughts for future investigation. The objectives are met with clarity and precision, making this a must-have book for any student or researcher in the sports nutrition field.
Audience:As highly regarded authorities in the field of sports nutrition, the authors hope this book benefits readers of various backgrounds in the basic and clinical sciences. Basic science students and researchers may find the biochemistry review and bibliographic references particularly useful; those seeking information with greater clinical application will appreciate the ensuing practical discussion tailored to individual vitamins and elements.
Features:The book covers a variety of essential vitamins and trace elements, their interaction with human performance, and athlete-specific dietary recommendations. It is very well organized and each chapter systematically presents a vitamin or element review and then critiques relevant research, ending with an excellent reference list. Outlines at the beginning of each chapter are useful for the reader. Reviews of B12, iron, copper, and zinc are particularly well-presented, emphasizing clinical information in their review. Some chapters are somewhat tedious in how they explore biochemical structures and pathways. Additional tables or figures (not of organic compounds) could help present content in some chapters.
Assessment:Very well organized and user-friendly, this book reviews relevant literature and is an excellent resource for anyone interested in sports nutrition and optimizing care for active individuals. While specific in its focus, the topic appeals to a variety of readers and is a valued component of any sports medicine library. Readers are sure to appreciate the updated information and added components of the second edition.