Now that we have talked about the most important vitamins, let's continue with the so called macro minerals. They're called macro minerals because we need them in fairly large amounts. They're important for nerve signaling, muscular contraction, tissue structure, and our bones. for athletes, it's important to maintain optimal levels of macro minerals because of the extra stress that is placed on the muscles, tissue and bones. And because we lose a lot when sweating the first important macro mineral is calcium which we have in our bodies more than any other mineral. It supports muscle function transmits nerve impulses help cells to communicate and it is involved in the release of certain hormones.

Most of the calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, where it's used for structural purposes. We get calcium mostly from yogurt, whey protein supplements, milk, cottage cheese and dark leafy greens. And if you eat those regularly, you most likely don't have to supplement calcium. One problem, however, is that it's difficult to detect a calcium deficiency because in the short term, our bodies will simply use the calcium stored in our bones to maintain normal blood calcium levels. Over time, though, your bone density will suffer and you will feel the consequences. In general, vegetarians and people with lactose intolerance are at the greatest risk for calcium deficiencies because they don't consume enough or no dairy products at all.

If you fall into one of these two categories, please check with your doctor and consider supplementing