Each week in my Research Update, I distill the latest sports science research into practical insights to help you improve your training, performance, and recovery.
In this week's update:
- A new way to think about your vitamin intake
- How a low protein diet can impact muscle mass and strength
- The possible relationship between vitamins and aging
Think of Vitamins as Insurance, Not a Performance Enhancer
This review pulled together a decade of research on vitamin supplementation in athletes and found that, in well-nourished individuals, additional vitamins do not improve strength, endurance, or recovery. Most studies showed no performance benefit unless a deficiency was present. Instead, vitamins play a foundational role in supporting energy metabolism, immune function, and recovery processes that can quietly limit performance if intake is inadequate.
My thoughts: Vitamins don’t improve performance, but they can prevent it from being compromised by a poor diet. Think of them as insurance, not a performance lever. That’s exactly where something like Blonyx Multivit+ fits in—23 essential vitamins and minerals, taken daily, to make sure nothing obvious is missing when consistency slips.
Low Protein Diets Can Limit Strength Without Careful Planning
This cross-sectional study compared vegan and omnivorous diets in young active women matched for age and body size. The vegan group consumed ~44% less protein, had ~8% lower lean mass, showed 10–15% lower lower-body strength. Over half did not meet basic protein intake recommendations. The findings suggest that without careful planning, vegan diets may fall short in supporting muscle mass and strength.
My thoughts: I know some high-performing vegan athletes, but they’re very deliberate about protein intake. Without meat or eggs, it’s harder to get enough essential amino acids. You can make it work—but it takes more planning than most people realize. For vegan athletes especially, supplementing with a high-quality protein powder and multivitamin will help support a more complete nutritional baseline alongside a well-planned diet.
Higher Vitamin C and B12 Intake Linked to Slower Aging
This study analyzed NHANES data spanning 2007 to 2018 to examine links between vitamin intake and biological aging markers including telomere length, inflammation (CRP), and metabolic health markers like blood glucose and lipids—all of which relate to how well the body maintains function over time. Higher intakes of key vitamins—particularly vitamin C and B12—were associated with slower biological aging markers. While this is observational, it suggests that consistently meeting micronutrient needs may support long-term health and physical function.
My thoughts: Is that multivitamin worth it? Maybe, as a safety net. You should still think about food first: citrus and berries for vitamin C, and meat, fish, and dairy for vitamin B12. But, most people aren’t perfectly consistent. A daily, low-friction option like Blonyx Multivit+ helps keep intake consistent over time, which is what likely matters most for long-term health.
That’s all for this week.
If you learned something new and are curious to know more, check out more articles and my growing list of weekly Blonyx Research Updates where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports science.
— That's all for now, train hard!
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