Vitamin and mineral supplementation: effect on the running performance of trained athletes

There is limited scientific justification for the widespread use of vitamin and mineral supplements by athletes. We used a 9-mo, placebo-controlled crossover study design to determine whether a multivitamin and mineral supplement influenced the athletic performance of 30 competitive male athletes. At 0, 3, 6, and 9 mo the runners performed a progressive treadmill test to volitional exhaustion for measurement of maximal oxygen consumption, peak running speed, blood lactate turnpoint, and peak postexercise blood lactate level. Running time in a 15 km time trial was also measured. None of these variables was influenced by 3 mo of active supplementation. We conclude that 3 mo of multivitamin and mineral supplementation was without any measurable ergogenic effect.