Micronutrients are essential to life. Vitamins are catalysts in metabolic reactions (they make things happen) in the body. In doing their job they are constantly broken down and as a result require constant replenishment through the food you eat. Though many of the health claims for vitamins have been supported by research, those claims related to sports performance have not.

Minerals are critical to the formation of fluid balance, nerve impulse conduction, and muscle activation. These micronutrients have important effects on absorption and metabolism and therefore also have potential physical performance-enhancing effects associated with them. However, the performance-enhancing properties attached to them have not, for the most part, received research support.

Some manufacturers claim that liquid forms of micronutrients are better absorbed than pills or capsules and therefore offer benefits not found in capsules or tablets. Since no studies today had investigated these claims, scientists at the Human Performance Laboratory at University of Memphis set out to do just that.

All the subjects in this study completed the study with 100% compliance. There was no statistical difference between groups tested related to subject characteristics or dieting variables. There also was no difference in total work performed in the cycle and squat tests. There was, however, a minor decreased rate of fatigue noted for both exercise tests following the multi-vitamin/mineral supplementation.

In short, the results suggest that in resistance and anaerobic exercise-trained men consuming a nutritionally sound diet, supplementation with a liquid multi-vitamin/mineral did not favorably impact most exercise performances during the 8 weeks of the study. This was a small study in sample size (14) and it is possible that with a larger sample size some differences between the two groups might have appeared. However, the findings of this study agree with those of other studies that show supplemental vitamins and minerals have no effect on sports performance.

So despite the claims of many supplement manufacturers and even testimonials set forth by manufacturers of the supplement used in this study, coaches and athletes should base their motivation advice and supplement use on the available science and not on exaggerated and unfounded claims.

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