The Value of Vitamin D for Athletes
Vitamin D undoubtedly still remains one of the most hyped and popular sports supplements on the market today. Here is a quick primer that I contributed to over at T-Nation.com that depicts how the Vitamin D pathway works in the body, along with some more evidence for athletes who may be lacking in the vitamin if you are interested:
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/12-overlooked-foods-you-should-be-eating
Research Please…
There is a very interesting study that showed subjects who supplemented vitamin D displayed quicker muscle recuperation and torque generation following intense resistance training. Subjects exhibited around 15% improvement in strength display at 48 hours and seven days post damage. 1 RDA requirements for Vitamin D are low, but not optimal, so supplementing Vitamin D definitely may be in an athlete’s best interest since this micronutrient also requires higher intakes naturally.
Does it really work?
Vitamin D is stored in the body and when it is needed it is converted into a bioactive hormone known as 1,25-dihydroxycalciferol. Negative things are associated with a state that attempts to produce the hormone but has insufficient vitamin D to do so, and supplementing vitamin D alleviates this possible negative. Thus, Vitamin D is critical for people in a deficient state. The combination of our indoor lives coupled with pollution means that most people outside of the tropics tend to be in a deficient state. Supplementing with 2000 UI while you get your vitamin D levels tested is a smart way to go. So although the outcome is still beneficial, vitamin D supplementation is more about alleviating negatives rather than inducing positives. 2
DOSAGE GUIDELINES:
1,000-2,000IU taken daily with a meal is recommended in the more active and effective D3 form (cholecalciferol). There was one report, however, that showed a higher upper limit for dosing and can be found here, and this has been reinforced by other credible experts as well. It appears that Vitamin D and K are the two types of vitamins that could potentially be beneficial at supraphysiological doses. 3
SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:
#1-Owens, Daniel J., et al. “A Systems-Based Investigation into Vitamin D and Skeletal Muscle Repair, Regeneration, and Hypertrophy.”
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 309, no. 12, 2015, doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00375.2015.
#2-https://tonygentilcore.com/2013/03/supplement-review-supplements-that-suck-supplements-that-work-and-supplements-that-are-underrated-part-ii/
#3-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23083379
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The Value of Vitamin D for Athletes
Vitamin D undoubtedly still remains one of the most hyped and popular sports supplements on the market today. Here is a quick primer that I contributed to over at T-Nation.com that depicts how the Vitamin D pathway works in the body, along with some more evidence for athletes who may be lacking in the vitamin if you are interested:
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/12-overlooked-foods-you-should-be-eating
Research Please…
There is a very interesting study that showed subjects who supplemented vitamin D displayed quicker muscle recuperation and torque generation following intense resistance training. Subjects exhibited around 15% improvement in strength display at 48 hours and seven days post damage. 1 RDA requirements for Vitamin D are low, but not optimal, so supplementing Vitamin D definitely may be in an athlete’s best interest since this micronutrient also requires higher intakes naturally.
Does it really work?
Vitamin D is stored in the body and when it is needed it is converted into a bioactive hormone known as 1,25-dihydroxycalciferol. Negative things are associated with a state that attempts to produce the hormone but has insufficient vitamin D to do so, and supplementing vitamin D alleviates this possible negative. Thus, Vitamin D is critical for people in a deficient state. The combination of our indoor lives coupled with pollution means that most people outside of the tropics tend to be in a deficient state. Supplementing with 2000 UI while you get your vitamin D levels tested is a smart way to go. So although the outcome is still beneficial, vitamin D supplementation is more about alleviating negatives rather than inducing positives. 2
DOSAGE GUIDELINES:
1,000-2,000IU taken daily with a meal is recommended in the more active and effective D3 form (cholecalciferol). There was one report, however, that showed a higher upper limit for dosing and can be found here, and this has been reinforced by other credible experts as well. It appears that Vitamin D and K are the two types of vitamins that could potentially be beneficial at supraphysiological doses. 3
SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:
#1-Owens, Daniel J., et al. “A Systems-Based Investigation into Vitamin D and Skeletal Muscle Repair, Regeneration, and Hypertrophy.”
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 309, no. 12, 2015, doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00375.2015.
#2-https://tonygentilcore.com/2013/03/supplement-review-supplements-that-suck-supplements-that-work-and-supplements-that-are-underrated-part-ii/
#3-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23083379