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US Military, like several countries, no longer pays for vitamin D testing unless overtly deficient – Aug 2024


Medical Surveillance Monthly Report . 2024 Aug 20;31(8):2-7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39255511/
Devin C Kelly 1, Michael Fan 2, Richard S Langton 2, Shauna L Stahlman 2

For those who were able to get tested, risk of having < 20 ng of Vitamin D
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Vitamin D contains 2 related fat-soluble substances, D3 and D2, that are essential for bone health and overall well-being. The burden of vitamin D deficiency within the active component of the armed forces is unknown. This study describes trends of vitamin D deficiency diagnoses in the active component of the U.S. Armed Forces. Risk factors for vitamin D, such as military occupation, were examined to see if preventive measures and targeted vitamin D screening would be beneficial, as the United States Preventive Task Force does not recommend universal screening for vitamin D, nor does TRICARE cover screening for asymptomatic individuals. The surveillance period covered January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2022. The data were derived from the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS). Vitamin D deficiency was measured using ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM diagnoses recorded in inpatient and outpatient medical encounters. Incidence rate and average annual prevalence were calculated. A logistic regression was performed to obtain adjusted odds ratios. The rates of vitamin D deficiency diagnoses among active component service members (ACSMs) remained steady during the study period, with an incidence rate of 16.4 per 1,000 person-years and an average annual prevalence of 2.2%.

  • Female service members,
  • those of older age groups, and
  • indoor workers demonstrated higher rates of vitamin D deficiency.

Previously described demographic risk factors such as

  • indoor work and
  • history of obesity or
  • malabsorption syndrome

were also associated in this study with vitamin D deficiency in ACSMs, although older age groups in this study were not associated with vitamin D deficiency. Pilots and air crew had the lowest rates of vitamin D deficiency, while health care workers had the highest, when evaluating by occupation.
 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki

As of 2020 TRICARE no longer pays for testing without overt symptoms


VitaminDWiki - Military and Vitamin D - many studies contains items such as

Vitamin D Deficiency in the Military: It’s Time to Act! - Oct 2021
86% of US military no longer have enough Vitamin D (30 ng) – Dec 2020
Soldiers' vitamin D levels dropped by half over 18 years – March 2014
Need for Routine Vitamin D Screening in Military Personnel - letter to Editor 2016


The veterans side of the military have learned: Veterans and Vitamin D - many studies contains

Fit athletes appear to need 50ng, wonder why fit military need only 20 ng?

Overview Sports and vitamin D contains
Athletes are helped by vitamin D by:

  1. Faster reaction time
  2. Far fewer colds/flus during the winter
  3. Less sore/tired after a workout
  4. Fewer micro-cracks and broken bones
  5. Bones which do break heal much more quickly
  6. Increased VO2 and exercise endurance Feb 2011
  7. Indoor athletes especially need vitamin D
  8. Professional indoor athletes are starting to take vitamin D and/or use UV beds
  9. Olympic athletes have used UV/vitamin D since the 1930's
  10. The biggest gain from the use of vitamin D is by those who exercise less than 2 hours per day.
  11. Reduced muscle fatigue with 10,000 IU vitamin D daily
  12. Muscle strength improved when vitamin D added: 3 Meta-analysis
  13. Reduced Concussions
    See also: Sports and Vitamin D category 284 items

VitaminDWiki – Overview Deficiency of vitamin D contains

FACT: Much of the world is now vitamin D deficient
OBSERVATION:There are many reasons that a person may be vitamin D deficient
11 of the reasons for the epidemic are new in the past 40 years, Example: Air Conditioning
OBSERVATION: The more reasons that apply to an individual, the more likely he is to be deficient (additive reasons)
FACT: Vitamin D Deficiency has been associated with many diseases

FACT: Vitamin D intake can be increased by supplements, injection, UV, and sun (very little by food) 112 items

FACT: Adding vitamin D to diets has been proven E1 E2 in clinical trials to both PREVENT some and TREAT some diseases
OBSERVATION: Adding vitamin D (intervention) does PREVENT and TREAT additional diseases - more trials are underway
OBSERVATION: There are at least 10 ways to increase the response by the blood to vitamin D intake

Details at VitaminDWiki

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from DSM

DSM 2014


VitaminDWiki – Sports category contains

284 items in Sports category

Sports benefits from up to 50 ng (click on chart for details)
Sports benefit up to 50 ng @ /is.gd/Vitdsports
see also:
Overview Sports and vitamin D     Concussions
Military    Muscle    Overview Fractures and vitamin D
Vitamin D supplementation increases strength of lower muscles – Meta-analysis April 2019
Athletes helped by weekly 50,000 IU Vitamin D – RCT Aug 2019
College swimmers helped by daily 5,000 IU of Vitamin D in the fall – RCT Feb 2020
Shin splints decrease with vitamin D
Less muscle inflammation after exercise if high level of Vitamin D (50 ng) -July 2021 50 ng
Only 1 NCAA basketball player getting 10,000 IU vitamin D daily achieved 50 ng goal – Jan 2020 50 ng
NCAA trainers are getting on board the Vitamin D train (40-50 ng)– Nov 2019 50 ng
Is 50 ng of vitamin D too high, just right, or not enough 50 ng
The only independent predictor of aerobic power: Vitamin D - 2021
Olympic Committee consensus on Vitamin D, Omega-3, Zinc, etc– May 2018 not consdered "doping"
Some Foot and ankle problems are treated by Vitamin D – many studies
Typical stress fracture during US Navy training cost 14,953 dollars, most had less than 40 ng Vitamin D - June 2022
Vitamin D trials by military – all 4 found benefit – review Sept 2019
Vitamin D supplementation increases strength of lower muscles – Meta-analysis April 2019
Omega-3 helps muscles - many studies

Attached files

ID Name Comment Uploaded Size Downloads
21749 Military deficiency.webp admin 13 Sep, 2024 32.25 Kb 58
21748 MSMR_volume31number8_508_CompressPdf.pdf admin 13 Sep, 2024 804.70 Kb 40