A separate placebo-controlled investigation found that runners who took 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily for two weeks benefited from a reduction in signs of muscle damage in response to downhill running compared to athletes who did not receive the vitamin D. The case for vitamin D as a sports performance booster has gotten a lift in recent years from a batch of research papers suggesting that champions are built on getting enough of the sunshine vitamin.įor instance, a recent study in the journal Nutrients found that active males who took a high amount of vitamin D (6,000 IU) for eight weeks experienced improvements in aerobic (VO2 max) and anaerobic (sprint performance) fitness. Photo: Getty Images Can Vitamin D Boost Your Game? There's a lot to know (and still research) about vitamin D. So, when it comes to nutrition, think of vitamin D as a multitasker. Cells in every tissue including muscle and heart have receptors for vitamin D and require adequate amounts to function properly. Why the overarching health benefits? In many ways, vitamin D behaves more like a hormone than a vitamin in that it modulates hundreds of genes and plays a role in numerous bodily processes ranging from cellular growth to protein synthesis. Researchers are also studying possible associations between vitamin D and cognitive functioning, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and certain cancers.
Since calcium is one of the major building blocks of bone, a vitamin D deficiency can lower calcium availability and lead to delayed skeletal development and rickets in children and osteoporosis with increased risk of bone fracture in adults. But your body calls upon vitamin D for so much more than maintaining break-resistant bones it’s needed for your muscles, cells, nerves, and immune system to function properly. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin whose most recognized role is to promote calcium absorption in the body. All of this had led to pill bottles flying off store shelves as if vitamin D was the toilet paper of the supplement world. And athletes are increasingly being told that getting enough vitamin D is a key factor in performing at a top level.
It’s getting a lot of press as a way to bolster our defenses against the virus in a time when everyone is looking to just stay healthy. Unless you’ve been training in a cave, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about vitamin D during these pandemic days. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
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