Series: Micronutrients: The Small Things That Keep the Engine Alive - Episode 1: Vitamins and Minerals: Why They Matter Even Though They Provide No Calories

Vitamins and minerals are often treated as supporting characters in nutrition because they provide no calories and cannot be entered directly into the energy balance like protein, carbohydrate or fat. Yet without them, the body cannot efficiently turn fuel into biological work. Energy exists in food, but micronutrients help the body extract it, transport it and use it.

For a strength athlete, this distinction is essential. A strongman can consume thousands of kilocalories per day and still have a diet poor in certain micronutrients if much of that energy comes from a small number of very calorie-dense foods. Eating a lot does not automatically mean eating a wide variety of nutrients.

This first episode builds the foundation for the entire series. We will separate vitamins from minerals, explain their roles as cofactors and structural components, examine how they support energy metabolism, blood, nerves, muscle, bone and immunity, and show why both deficiency and excess can become problems.

1. Micronutrients provide no calories, but they make calories usable

A vitamin or mineral does not add measurable energy to the diet. Yet many reactions that transform glucose, fatty acids and amino acids into ATP depend on enzymes that need vitamins or minerals to function. Micronutrients therefore resemble the control components of an engine more than the fuel in its tank.

If energy intake is the fuel, micronutrients are part of the ignition, cooling and control systems. The tank can be full, but an engine still performs poorly when small components that coordinate the process are missing.

2. What is a vitamin?

Vitamins are organic compounds required in relatively small amounts for normal physiological function. The body cannot make them at all or cannot make them in sufficient quantities, which makes dietary intake important.

3. What is a mineral?

Minerals are inorganic elements such as iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, sodium and iodine. They are not destroyed by cooking in the same way some vitamins can be degraded, but their availability for absorption can vary greatly depending on the food and the context of the meal.

4. Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. Their absorption is linked to fat digestion, and the body can store substantial amounts of some of them. That storage capacity is precisely why very high intakes, especially from supplements, can become toxic.

5. Water-soluble vitamins

The B-complex vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble. Their stores are generally more limited than those of fat-soluble vitamins, so regular intake matters. The simple rule that “excess is excreted” should not be treated as permission for megadosing.

6. Macrominerals and trace elements

Some minerals are required in larger amounts, including calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus. Others, such as iron, zinc, copper, selenium and iodine, are needed in much smaller quantities. Small quantity does not mean small importance.

7. Enzyme cofactors: why tiny amounts can have large effects

Many enzymes function only when a cofactor is present. Magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and derivatives of several B vitamins participate in hundreds of reactions. When a cofactor is missing, the issue is not merely the absence of one molecule but the slowing of an entire metabolic network.

8. ATP does not simply appear

Producing ATP from carbohydrate and fat involves glycolysis, the citric acid cycle and the respiratory chain. Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, magnesium and iron are among the micronutrients that participate directly or indirectly in these processes. They are not energy, but they are part of the machinery that makes energy usable.

9. B vitamins and energy metabolism

B vitamins frequently appear in coenzymes that transfer electrons or chemical groups between reactions. A meaningful deficiency can cause fatigue, neurological problems or anemia depending on the vitamin. Supplementing beyond requirements, however, does not automatically make a well-nourished athlete more energetic.

10. Iron and oxygen transport

Iron is essential for hemoglobin and myoglobin and participates in enzymes of oxidative metabolism. Iron deficiency can limit oxygen transport and exercise tolerance. Excess iron can also be dangerous, which is why supplementation without assessment is not a sensible default.

11. Hemoglobin is more than a number on a blood count

Hemoglobin binds oxygen in the lungs and transports it to tissues. Adequate red blood cell production depends on iron, folate, vitamin B12 and other elements of hematopoiesis. A problem in one link can reduce the capacity of the entire system.

12. Vitamin B12 and folate

Vitamin B12 and folate are important for DNA synthesis and normal maturation of blood cells. Deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, while B12 deficiency can also cause neurological damage. Sources and deficiency risks differ between omnivorous and predominantly plant-based diets.

13. Vitamin C and connective tissue

Vitamin C is required for reactions involved in collagen maturation. Tendons, ligaments, skin and blood vessels depend on properly formed connective tissue. For a strength athlete, this function is far more interesting than the simplistic reputation of vitamin C as merely a “cold vitamin.”

14. Calcium is not only about bones

Calcium is structural material for the skeleton, but calcium ions also participate in muscle contraction, signal transmission and blood clotting. The body maintains blood calcium within a tightly controlled range, even if calcium must be mobilized from bone to do so.

15. Vitamin D is more than a classic vitamin

Vitamin D acts as the precursor of a hormone that regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism and influences many tissues. Vitamin D status depends on sun exposure, season, skin pigmentation, diet, body mass and other factors, so it cannot be reliably inferred from lifestyle alone.

For athletes, the topic should be separated from marketing. Correcting deficiency matters, but very high doses taken without indication do not guarantee better strength, testosterone or immunity and can cause harm.

16. Magnesium and ATP

Much of biologically active ATP functions in association with magnesium. The mineral participates in enzyme reactions, neuromuscular excitability and cardiovascular function. Severe deficiency can cause weakness, cramps and rhythm disturbances, but ordinary exercise cramps should not automatically be blamed on magnesium deficiency.

17. Sodium and potassium are the body's liquid electricity

Sodium and potassium create electrochemical gradients essential for membrane potential, nerve impulses and muscle contraction. In sports with heavy sweating, sodium losses can become important. Potassium is supplied mainly by a varied diet rich in whole foods.

18. Zinc and the protein network

Zinc participates in the activity of a very large number of proteins and transcription factors. It is involved in immunity, wound healing, DNA synthesis and reproductive function. True deficiency matters, but chronically high doses can impair copper absorption.

19. Iodine and thyroid hormones

Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones. These hormones influence metabolic rate and many processes of cellular development and function. Both iodine deficiency and excess can disturb thyroid function, making the idea that “more is better” especially misleading.

20. Selenium and antioxidant enzymes

Selenium is incorporated into selenoproteins, including antioxidant enzymes and enzymes involved in thyroid hormone metabolism. Requirements are small, and the distance between adequate and excessive intake is narrower than for many macronutrients.

21. Copper and iron work together

Copper contributes to iron metabolism, connective-tissue formation and the function of oxidative enzymes. Deficiency can cause anemia and neurological problems. Excess supplemental zinc is one situation that can secondarily promote copper deficiency.

22. Phosphorus is everywhere in bioenergetics

Phosphorus is found in ATP, phosphocreatine, phospholipids, nucleic acids and bone. Isolated dietary deficiency is uncommon in ordinary diets because phosphorus is widespread in foods. Its importance nevertheless shows how artificial the separation between “energy” and the micronutrients managing it can be.

23. Vitamin A and cell differentiation

Vitamin A is important for vision, immune function, epithelial tissues and regulation of gene expression. Preformed retinoids from animal sources and provitamin carotenoids from plants are not identical in bioavailability. Chronic excess of preformed vitamin A can become toxic.

24. Vitamin E and membrane protection

Vitamin E functions as a fat-soluble antioxidant and helps protect membranes from oxidation. This does not mean pharmacological antioxidant doses automatically improve recovery; training adaptation also uses controlled oxidative signals.

25. Vitamin K and blood clotting

Vitamin K is required to activate proteins involved in blood clotting and bone metabolism. Several forms and food sources exist, and interactions with certain anticoagulant medications make abrupt changes in intake clinically relevant.

26. Micronutrients work in networks, not isolation

Metabolism does not have separate drawers for each vitamin. Iron interacts with copper, calcium with vitamin D, folate with B12, and zinc with copper. A supplement taken aggressively to “optimize” one nutrient can therefore disturb another.

27. Deficiency, insufficiency and suboptimal intake are not the same

Clinical deficiency implies a shortage large enough to produce biological abnormalities or symptoms. Insufficiency often describes a less severe status, while “suboptimal” may be used much more loosely. Articles and advertisements often blur these categories and exaggerate the need for supplements.

28. Symptoms are often nonspecific

Fatigue, poor sleep, cramps, poor concentration and reduced performance can arise from dozens of causes. They do not diagnose a deficiency by intuition. Dietary history, symptoms, clinical assessment and relevant laboratory tests need to be interpreted together.

29. More food does not guarantee enough micronutrients

An athlete may consume 5,000 or 6,000 kcal yet repeat the same foods every day. If the surplus comes mainly from refined products, sauces, oils, sweets and shakes, energy can rise much faster than vitamin and mineral density.

30. Nutrient density

In practical terms, nutrient density describes how much nutritional value a food provides relative to its energy or serving size. Vegetables, fruit, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds can each contribute different micronutrient profiles.

For strongman, the key is not allowing calorie density to push nutrient density completely off the plate. Oil and sugar can raise calories quickly, but they cannot replace the variety of foods that provide vitamins and minerals.

31. Dietary variety reduces dependence on a single food

No single food contains everything in ideal proportions. Variety across protein sources, vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy or fortified alternatives, and fat sources helps cover more micronutrients and reduces the vulnerability created by a monotonous diet.

32. Bioavailability matters

The amount printed in a nutrient table is not identical to the amount absorbed. Heme iron from meat and non-heme iron from plants differ in bioavailability, and vitamin C can increase non-heme iron absorption. Phytates, oxalates and other compounds can also modify mineral absorption.

33. Cooking can reduce or increase availability

Some vitamins that are sensitive to heat or water may be partly lost through processing and boiling. In other cases, cooking breaks plant structures and can increase the accessibility of certain compounds. Real nutrition is more complex than raw equals good and cooked equals bad.

34. Food fortification has a real role

Iodized salt, vitamin D fortified foods and certain fortified cereals have been used to reduce population-level deficiencies. A fortified food is not automatically inferior to a “natural” one; sometimes fortification solves a very concrete public-health problem.

35. A supplement is not the same thing as food

A tablet can provide a precise dose, but it does not reproduce the matrix of a food that simultaneously provides protein, fiber, fat, phytochemicals and multiple vitamins and minerals. Supplements are useful when there is a need, not as a universal replacement for a diverse diet.

36. Recommended intake is not a performance threshold

Reference values are designed mainly to cover the needs of healthy populations and reduce deficiency risk. Consuming two, five or ten times more does not mean performance will rise proportionally. Physiology has thresholds, storage systems, regulatory mechanisms and upper limits.

37. Athletes may have different needs, but not infinitely greater ones

Training can alter requirements or losses for certain micronutrients through sweating, tissue remodeling, blood-cell production or high energy turnover. However, the idea that every athlete automatically needs megadoses of every vitamin is unsupported.

38. Sweat means mostly water and sodium

Sweat contains electrolytes, especially sodium, and losses vary widely between people and conditions. Small amounts of other minerals may also be lost, but hydration strategy should not become an arbitrary cocktail of dozens of micronutrients.

39. Strongman creates a particular nutritional environment

Heavy training, large body mass, sessions in heat, equipment, long events and very high-calorie meals create a distinctive context. Food intake may be high, but logistical demands are high too: digestion, sweating, meal preparation and variety can become harder to manage.

40. Electrolytes before, during and after effort

Sodium and fluids are the most important acute variables when sweat losses are large. Potassium and magnesium have important physiological roles, but every hard session does not automatically require large supplemental doses. Strategy should match duration, temperature and individual losses.

41. Iron status in athletes should be assessed, not guessed

Endurance athletes are frequently discussed in relation to iron, but strength athletes can also have inadequate intake, losses or relevant medical conditions. A complete blood count, ferritin and other appropriately interpreted markers are more useful than taking iron preventively without indication.

42. Vitamin D is sometimes worth measuring

In people at increased risk of deficiency or with clinical suspicion, 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the marker commonly used to assess vitamin D status. Interpretation requires context because target values and supplementation decisions cannot be reduced to internet slogans.

43. B12 becomes critical in certain dietary patterns

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally mainly in foods of animal origin. People following vegan diets need reliable fortified or supplemental sources, while malabsorption can cause deficiency even in omnivores. This is a physiological issue, not a food-identity contest.

44. Calcium and the strength athlete's skeleton

Mechanical loading stimulates bone, and loaded sports can be osteogenic. But mechanical stimulus cannot build mineral from nothing. Adequate calcium, vitamin D, protein and energy remain important for bone remodeling.

45. Strong bones do not depend on one nutrient

Calcium is famous, but bone health also depends on vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, phosphorus, protein, hormones and mechanical loading. Searching for a single “bone supplement” misses the systemic nature of skeletal tissue.

In a strength athlete, bone mass and skeletal resilience emerge from the interaction of mechanics, nutrition and endocrinology. No single micronutrient can substitute for the rest of that system.

46. Micronutrients and the nervous system

Thiamine, B6, B12, folate, copper, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are involved in different aspects of nervous-system function. Severe deficiency can alter nerve conduction, neurotransmission or myelination. In strength sport, the nervous system is not a spectator.

47. Muscle contraction is a mineral orchestra

Calcium triggers the interaction between actin and myosin, while magnesium and ATP participate in the contraction-relaxation cycle. Sodium and potassium support membrane excitability. Muscle force is therefore tied to an invisible ionic choreography.

48. Antioxidants should not become total armor

Vitamins C and E, selenium and other antioxidant systems help control oxidative stress. But reactive oxygen species are also signaling molecules. Aggressively eliminating oxidative signals with megadoses is not synonymous with better recovery and may interfere with some training adaptations.

49. Immunity does not follow the rule that more is always better

Vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, folate, zinc, copper, iron and selenium all have roles in immune function. Correcting deficiency is important. In an already well-nourished person, increasing the dose does not turn the immune system into an invincible wall.

50. Energy restriction can pull micronutrient intake down too

When an athlete cuts calories aggressively, the total amount of food available to supply vitamins and minerals also falls. A weight-loss diet therefore needs to become more nutrient-dense, not merely smaller. Otherwise the calorie deficit may be accompanied by a deficit of dietary variety.

51. Restrictive diets increase the risk of gaps

Eliminating dairy, grains, meat, eggs or other food groups simultaneously without well-planned replacements can reduce intake of specific micronutrients. Restrictions may be necessary for medical or ethical reasons, but they require compensation, not merely exclusion.

52. Blood tests do not measure everything perfectly

Useful clinical markers exist for some micronutrients. For others, blood concentration is tightly regulated and does not simply reflect total body stores. A huge “vitamin panel” is therefore not automatically more informative than tests selected according to risk and symptoms.

53. A laboratory reference range is not the same as an individual requirement

Laboratories report statistically or clinically derived reference ranges, which should not be confused with recommended dietary intakes. Interpretation depends on the method, clinical context, symptoms, inflammation, hydration and other markers.

54. Excess can be as real as deficiency

Vitamins A and D, iron, selenium, zinc and other micronutrients can cause adverse effects at excessive intakes. Risk increases when multiple supplements and fortified foods are stacked without calculating total exposure. “Natural” and “vitamin” do not mean “incapable of toxicity.”

55. Megadoses can create imbalances

Large zinc doses can impair copper status, high vitamin B6 intakes can cause neuropathy, and iron excess can damage organs and amplify oxidative stress. Micronutrients are biologically active, which is precisely why dose matters.

56. A multivitamin can be a safety net, not the foundation of the house

A moderate multivitamin may make sense during periods of limited diet, travel or restriction, but it does not automatically repair a poor eating pattern. If the dietary base is monotonous, the first step is often greater food variety rather than another layer of pills.

57. What a good foundation looks like in practice

An athlete can build a robust base by rotating protein sources, eating fruit and vegetables regularly, using dairy or fortified alternatives, grains and tubers, legumes, nuts, seeds and fish. Every meal does not need to be perfect; the repeated pattern matters.

58. Colorful food makes sense when it means variety

Different plant colors reflect different pigments and compounds, while fruit and vegetable variety tends to bring different vitamin and mineral profiles as well. “Eat the rainbow” is an imperfect but useful metaphor if it leads to real diversity rather than colorful candy.

59. For strongman, monitoring beats assumption

A very heavy athlete can have an enormous calorie intake and still repeat the same ten foods every day. Periodic review of the diet and targeted laboratory testing when there is a genuine reason can identify problems hidden by the assumption that “I eat a lot, so I must get everything.”

60. Conclusion: micronutrients are the small parts without which the big engine cannot run

Vitamins and minerals provide no calories, yet they participate in nearly every system that allows the body to use energy, transmit signals, contract muscle, transport oxygen, build tissue and adapt to training. For a strength athlete, the smart strategy is not chasing megadoses but eating a varied, energy-adequate diet and supplementing intelligently when a demonstrated need exists.

This is the idea that will guide the whole series: small things matter not because they have magical powers, but because biology is built from thousands of small reactions that must work together.

Sources and recommended reading

1. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements. National Academies Press, 2006.

2. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Dietary Reference Values for nutrients: Summary report. European Food Safety Authority.

3. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Fact Sheets for Health Professionals: Vitamins and Minerals.

4. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2016.

5. Maughan RJ et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018.

6. Lukaski HC. Vitamin and mineral status: effects on physical performance. Nutrition, 2004.

7. Woolf K, Manore MM. B-vitamins and exercise: does exercise alter requirements? International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2006.

8. Peeling P et al. Iron considerations for the athlete: a narrative review. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2014.

9. Owens DJ et al. Vitamin D and the athlete: current perspectives and new challenges. Sports Medicine, 2018.

10. Mountjoy M et al. 2023 International Olympic Committee consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023.

Editorial note: this article is educational and does not replace individualized medical or nutritional assessment. Micronutrient deficiencies and excesses can have medical causes and consequences, and high-dose supplementation should be used only when there is a justified indication.