Joint Supplements for Runners: Best Vitamins Every Runner Needs

1. B Vitamins

The Bs are known for their energy-producing properties and are incredibly crucial for optimal body function. Because they’re water-soluble, they have to be consumed daily to ensure levels are up to snuff.The B vitamins act as co-enzymes for many catabolic and anabolic enzymatic reactions and serve essential roles in several aspects of brain function.This includes energy production, DNA/RNA synthesis and repair, methylation, and synthesis of neurochemicals and signaling molecules ¹. For runners, specifically, one of the most prominent functions of the B vitamin is energy production.

They are involved in every aspect of producing energy within cells, and a deficiency in any one of the Bs will impair this process. Of particular importance are thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), and pantothenic acid (B5), which are essential co-enzymes in mitochondrial aerobic respiration, as well as thiamine (B1), biotin (B9), and vitamin B12, which play crucial roles in mitochondrial glucose metabolism ¹.But there’s more.They also play a critical role in the biosynthesis of amino acids and fatty acids, and if you need another reason to take them, B6, folate, and B12 are also imperative for the conversion of homocysteine to methionineWhy should this matter?A deficiency in any B vitamin leads to accumulation of homocysteine and several potential negative cellular consequences. High homocysteine increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, and elevated homocysteine also acts as a marker for inflammation ¹.

2. Calcium

No list of supplements for runners would be complete without calcium. Runners musculoskeletal system comes under high pressure, and repeated high-impact movements cause a lot of stress on bones, ligaments, tendons, and joints, which can increase the risk of fractures.

But to repair themselves fully, bones need calcium. Calcium is the fifth most abundant mineral in the human body and is a significant component of the mineralized tissues that house over 99% of the calcium found in your body ². It has a key role in skeleton mineralization and is required for normal growth, development, and strength of bones.Here’s what else it plays a role in ^{2, 3}:

• Muscle contraction
• Nerve impulse transmission
• Vascular contraction and vasodilation
• Intra and extracellular signaling
• Blood clotting
• Hormone secretion

3. Vitamin D

Following up on calcium, we come to its pair, vitamin D—and we can’t stress enough the importance of getting enough. 

For those lucky folks who live in a climate where you have sun year-round, you’re likely getting adequate vitamin D that you don’t need supplementation.

But for those of us who aren’t so fortunate, supplementation is a must. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in maintaining normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. It does this by regulating calcium uptake from the gut ⁴. Interestingly, though, vitamin D is inactive by itself. Its functions result from the active metabolite, calcitriol, which is activated in the presence of insufficient calcium or phosphorus. Together, they maintain bone health.Suppose serum calcium levels cannot be maintained through intestinal calcium absorption.

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In that case, vitamin D acts together with parathyroid hormone (PTH) to increase calcium reabsorption from the distal renal tubule (kidneys) and mobilize calcium from bone ³.

Too much calcium mobilization leads to weak bones, and an increased risk of osteoporosis. But it doesn’t just regulate calcium. It also ^{3, 5}:

• Enhances immune function
• Boosts mood
• Regulates neuromuscular function
• Reduces inflammation
• Regulates glucose metabolism

4. Zinc

You usually hear about zinc and male reproductive health, but zinc is critical to everyone, especially athletes.Like we said before, your body undergoes a lot of stress during long-distance runs—and any other high-intensity activity—which causes tears to muscles and inflammation.

And what system is needed to help dampen the inflammation response and repair muscles? You guessed it, your immune system. Zinc is critical for normal development and function of cells mediating innate immunity, neutrophils, and NK cells—all components of your immune system.

But macrophages, phagocytosis, intracellular killing, and cytokine production, along with the function of T and B cells, are all impacted by zinc deficiency ⁶. And you may not know this, but zinc also functions as an antioxidant to stabilize cell membranes, which may help to prevent free radical-induced injury during the inflammatory process—something common with both runners and athletes alike.A zinc deficiency has been linked to skin conditions, poor appetite, mental lethargy, delayed wound healing, cell-mediated immune dysfunction, and abnormal neurosensory changes ⁶.

5. Magnesium

The first thing that probably comes to mind when you think of magnesium is a muscle relaxant—and you’re correct. But there are more reasons runners need to care about their magnesium levels.Magnesium is an essential electrolyte that’s involved in many functions, including:

• Nerve function
• Blood pressure
• Muscle contraction
• Immune function
• Bone health
• Glucose and insulin metabolism
• Electrolyte balance

Adequate levels of magnesium also help you with oxygen uptake and energy production, along with faster recovery ⁷. If you’re deficient, you may notice more frequent muscle spasms, lactic acid build-up, twitching, cramping, and fatigue—all things you desperately want to avoid during a run.Physical activity increases magnesium excretion by up to 20%, so if you’re frequently running and taking on long distances, your magnesium demand is likely higher ⁷. A magnesium deficiency not only impairs your physical performance but since magnesium also plays a role in attenuating oxidative stress, lack of magnesium may induce a pro-inflammatory response in your body, leading to a whole slew of other issues.

6. Vitamin C

What you hear about drinking orange juice when you’re sick to boost vitamin C and immunity has some merit behind it. Still, the truth is that OJ contains too much sugar to do you good (sugar suppresses the immune system).However, pure vitamin C supplementation is a different story. High-intensity physical activity induces oxidative stress, and high levels of oxidative stress can severely damage the body ⁷. Vitamin C functions as a potent antioxidant that scavenges free radicals and limits the damage they cause. In doing so, it protects the body from cellular damage and inflammation. Aside from neutralizing free radicals, vitamin C is also vital for ⁸:

• Synthesis and activation of neuropeptides
• Collagen synthesis
• Carnitine synthesis
• Noradrenaline synthesis
• Immune function
• Glucose, cholesterol, and lipid metabolism

We want to highlight the importance of vitamin C in collagen synthesis, especially where runners are concerned.

Collagen forms the basis of your connective tissues—skin, bones, tendon, ligaments, and of course, joints—so ensuring your body has enough collagen ensures your joints stay healthy.

7. Iron

Last but not least, we come to iron. 

For runners, and any endurance athlete, iron becomes a critical nutrient because it not only boosts your immune system, but it also plays a crucial role in oxygen transport, energy production, and thermoregulation ⁹. And interestingly, female athletes are at the most significant risk for iron deficiency, especially those that take part in both aerobic and anaerobic activities. Keep in mind that unless you are diagnosed with an iron deficiency, you probably don’t need to be supplementing. However, if you follow a plant-based diet or have gut issues, you may be at risk of iron deficiency and should consider getting tested.