Vitamins for Vocal Health

Singers must  take care of their voices, much like athletes care for their bodies. The larynx is surprisingly small, about the size of a dime in a woman and the size of a nickel in the average man, to keep them healthy, eat plenty of nuts, fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins A, E and C and drink plenty of water.

Water
It is extremely important to drink plenty of water in order to keep our bodies well-hydrated and to also cleanse our bodies of the toxins that may build up in our tissues and cells. This keeps disease and infections at bay, and helps maintain our personal health.  Water hydrates the body, therefore water also keeps our vocal folds moist.  This is crucial for a healthy voice. When we sing, the vocal folds vibrate at an extremely fast speed, if they dry out they are prone to irritation, this may cause some pain and discomfort when singing. Keep a glass of room temperature water with you whenever you are singing or performing, ice water is not ideal while singing, as it shocks the muscles and causes contraction and tightening.  Keeping the tissue of your larynx and throat moist, will drastically reduce the risk of vocal damage.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C  taken daily is an important part of Vocal Health.  Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables can help, but a chewable Vitamin C tablet can ensure you are getting enough of this vitamin. Vitamin C helps prevent the common cold and sore throat as well as improve immune functions of the body.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin found in many foods, fats, and oils. It is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that destroy free radicals -- harmful compounds in the body that damage DNA (genetic material) and even cause cell death. Free radicals are believed to contribute to aging as well as the development of a number of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants provide some protection against these conditions and also  reduce the damage caused by toxic chemicals and pollutants.  Vitamin E aids in muscle regeneration, protecings the cell membrane and keeping you strong.  This is a very important vitamin for singers so try to add as many of these foods to your balanced diet as you are able but remember Vitamin E should not exceed 400IU per day so a supplement shouldn't be necessary if your dietary needs are being met.
The richest source of vitamin E is wheat germ.
Other foods that contain a significant amount of vitamin E include:
    •    Liver
    •    Eggs
    •    Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts)
    •    Sunflower seeds
    •    Corn-oil margarine
    •    Mayonnaise
    •    Cold-pressed vegetable oils, including olive, corn, safflower, soybean, cottonseed, and canola
    •    Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
    •    Greens (beet, collard, mustard, turnip) sweet potatoes
    •    Avocado
    •    Asparagus
    •    Yams

Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps cells regenerate normally and is abundant in foods such as apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, kale, liver, mangos, red peppers, spinach and sweet potatoes.  Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that occurs only in animal foods. Carotenoids serve as a great source of alpha-, beta- and gamma-carotene that our bodies are able to convert into Vitamin A.  Vitamin A is important for vocal heath as it converts to retinoic acid in our bodies and  effectively maintains healthy bones and teeth. Dentin, which also requires vitamin A, forms the hard layer of material within our teeth ensuring their strength. Vitamin A also plays an important role in replacing worn out or old tissue with newer tissue to ensure healthy bones and teeth and a healthy throat and larynx.

Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is an absolute must for any singer. It provides the body with much needed energy that we do not get if our diet is not well balanced. B12 helps with stress,  helping our nervous system to function at a more relaxed level. On performance days, a singer should consider taking 50% more B12 than on a regular day for extra support and energy as with this vitamin you will not be so anxious before performances or auditions.  Most people do not absorb the little amount of B12 that they get from diet especially if you are a vegetarian like me. B12 deficiency is a very serious issue and can lead to all kinds of problems including, memory loss, moodiness, depression, nervous system health, head aches, fatigue, dizziness, and sore tongue.  If you have any of these symptoms you may have a Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Honey
Honey has anti-microbial and antibiotic properties, meaning that bacteria and virus will find it hard to survive and reproduce in honey. For a sore throat or if you just feel some discomfort, have a spoonful of pure Honey. This will help to keep the bacteria away, and will also help a sore throat to heal faster. Honey is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, it will help to prevent any infection from spreading, and will speed up the recovery. Many singers swear by honey being a wonderful remedy for sore throat as well as a great singing food for protecting our fragile vocal folds.  Local Honey taken daily will also help with seasonal allergies.

Remember, the best way to maintain a healthy voice is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water daily.  As long as you are take a daily multivitamin containing these vitamins, you should not need to take additional vitamin A or E supplements, however, you should either choose a good B-Complex or B12 vitamin to supplement your vitamin regime. Overdosing on vitamin A or E can have serious consequences for your health because these vitamins are fat soluble and stay in your system longer than vitamin C, which is water soluble.   If you have questions about these or other supplements please contact your doctor or herbalist.