Does taking vitamins & minerals improve physical performance - study

Quick answer it appears to in this study!
They tested older endurance cyclists & it appears that once you begin to fatigue the extra vits/mins can help you keep going. Obviously this is one study, so it's not really proven, just suggested, but as someone who does take (& suggests others take) both added vitamins & minerals it's good to also be able to point to some studies that show as well as keeping your body healthy they may improve performance when in a fatigued state. It would be interesting if they could repeat these studies on younger athletes & in other strength orientated (lifting weights for example) & speed-endurance sports (like soccer).
Here's the abstract:

Quote :

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20555368?dopt=Abstract

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2010 Jun;35(3):251-60.
Vitamin and mineral supplementation effect on muscular activity and cycling efficiency in master athletes.

Louis J, Hausswirth C, Bieuzen F, Brisswalter J.

University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France.
Abstract

The influence of vitamin and mineral complex supplementation on muscular activity and cycling efficiency was examined in elderly endurance-trained master athletes during a heavy cycling trial. Master athletes were randomly assigned in a double-blind process to 1 of 2 treatment groups: antioxidant supplementation (n = 8: As group) or placebo (n = 8: Pl group) for 21 days. After that time, each subject had to perform a 10-min session of cycling on a cycloergometer at a heavy constant intensity. Twenty-four to 48 h after this session, subjects performed an isometric maximal voluntary contraction before and immediately after a fatiguing strength training (leg press exercise) and the same 10-min cycling test after fatigue. Isometric maximal voluntary force (MVF) of knee extensors was assessed before and after fatigue. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus medialis, the vastus lateralis (VL), and the biceps femoris was recorded with surface EMG. The knee-extensors MVF after the fatiguing exercise was reduced in similar proportions for both groups (As, -10.9%; Pl, -11.3%, p < 0.05). This MVF loss was associated with a significant reduction in EMG frequency parameters for both groups, with a lower decrease for the As group. Muscular activity and cycling efficiency during the cycling bouts were affected by the treatment. Cycling efficiency decreased significantly and the oxygen uptake slow component was higher after the fatiguing exercise for both groups. Furthermore, a decrease in cycling efficiency was associated with an increase in VL activity. However, these changes were significantly lower for the As group. The results of the present study indicate an overall positive effect of vitamin and mineral complex supplementation on cycling efficiency after fatigue, in the endurance-trained elderly.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation are of course energy boosters. They will show their positive effects.