Vitamins and sport.

In a double blind test on 40 men and women high performance fencers the influence of a multivitamin-electrolyte-preparation on reaction time, hit-frequency and neuromuscular irritability was determined. Evidence of B1, B2 and B6-deficiencies up to 70% were found. After application of the preparation an increase of performance of 3% could be observed. The tests were carried out by means of coenzymatic activation of the respective vitamins in the haemolysate of erythrocytes. The results are explained by the role of the vitamins in the human organism and by the special conditions under which endurance athletes have to perform: high turn-over rate of the energy metabolism, an increase of the body core temperature and thus increased sweat loss, factors leading to deficiencies of the water soluble B-vitamins.