It affects the amount of water a person's body will hold. The other large-amount needed minerals provide for an athlete but have no direct effect on an athlete's performance. The trace minerals number about fourteen. Two trace minerals of concern are zinc and iron. Zinc helps repair tissues and provides for growth.
Fats provide the largest source of energy.
They contain about twice as many calories per unit than proteins or carbohydrates. This means that fats can provide the largest amount of energy in the least amount of food. One setback is these are the nutrients that take the longest to digest. Carbohydrates are the best source of food energy. These are broken down into a substance called glucose.