This year’s London Marathon is fast approaching; on 24th April approximately 38,000 runners will attempt the world’s most famous long-distance event. So, if you’re one of those brave men and women aiming to run over 26 miles to raise valuable funds for your chosen charity or you’re a serious club runner wanting to achieve a personal best, how do you maximise your performance?

Even the fittest and strongest athletes can be at risk of developing a nutritional deficiency; in fact, they are often at more risk as exercise fast depletes your stores. Common signs that you may be low in valuable vitamins and minerals are a reduction in energy, with more effort being required during training and a more prolonged recovery. Also, being more prone to developing infections or injuries.

Diet should be a core element of your training regime, so keeping an eye on your vitamin and mineral intake is essential for that vital boost to carry you over the finishing line. Here’s our round-up of the top vitamins and minerals that any athlete, at any level, should ensure they are getting enough of – whether that’s through a rich and varied diet, supplements or through intravenous therapy.

# 1; calcium for optimal bone strength, an important requirement for any runner, particularly those planning long distances

What you may need: our Performance Booster has been specially tailored with the athlete in mind and contains a combination of powerful vitamins and minerals including calcium

# 2; vitamin C to strengthen your immune system that can be weakened when you expend vast amounts of energy preparing for the big race

What you may need: vitamin C is such a powerhouse that we include it in many of our IV drips, but we also offer it as a standalone high dose therapy

# 3; vitamin B12; all of the B vitamins play an important role, but B12 is a key energy-boosting nutrient so a deficiency may mean you are experiencing tiredness, a lack of energy and weakened muscles

What you may need: a simple blood test can identify if you’re deficient in this vitamin and, if required, our B12 Vitamin Shot could help

# 4 magnesium; this mineral plays a number of key roles in your body that will impact on your athletic performance. It is required for optimal bone health and aids the body in energy production. If your bones and muscles are left aching long after you’ve finished training, then you may be suffering from a magnesium deficiency

What you may need: Myers Cocktail is the original IV therapy and combines a broad range of vitamins and minerals required for optimal health, including magnesium. It can be specially tailored to your requirements

To find out which is the best IV therapy for you, call 020 3095 0002 to book a consultation with one of the team at IV Boost UK.