NCAA athletes with low vitamin D do far fewer squats, etc. – April 2016

Compromised Vitamin D Status Negatively Affects Muscular Strength and Power of Collegiate Athletes.

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016 Apr 20.
Hildebrand RA1, Miller B, Warren A, Hildebrand D, Smith BJ.
1College of Health Sciences, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK.

Increasing evidence indicates that compromised vitamin D status, as indicated by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D), is associated with decreased muscle function. The purpose of this study was to determine the vitamin D status of collegiate athletes residing in the southern U.S. and its effects on muscular strength and anaerobic power. Collegiate athletes (n=103) from three separate NCAA athletic programs were recruited for the study. Anthropometrics, vitamin D and calcium intake, and sun exposure data were collected along with serum 25-OH D and physical performance measures (Vertical Jump Test, Shuttle Run Test, Triple Hop for Distance Test and the 1 Repetition Maximum Squat Test) to determine the influence of vitamin D status on muscular strength and anaerobic power. Approximately

• 68% of the study participants were vitamin D adequate (>75 nmol/L), whereas
• 23% were insufficient (75-50 nmol/L) and
• 9%, predominantly non-Caucasian athletes, were deficient (<50 nmol/L).

Athletes who had lower vitamin D status had reduced performance scores (P<0.01) with odds ratios of

• 0.85 on the Vertical Jump Test,
• 0.82 on the Shuttle Run Test,
• 0.28 on the Triple Hop for Distance Test, and
• 0.23 on the 1 RM Squat Test.

These findings demonstrate that even NCAA athletes living in the southern US are at risk for vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency and that maintaining adequate vitamin D status may be important for these athletes to optimize their muscular strength and power.

PMID: 27097322

Publisher wants $20 for PDF

---

See also VitaminDWiki

• NCAA trainers are getting on board the Vitamin D train (40-50 ng)– Nov 2019
• Only 1 NCAA basketball player getting 10,000 IU vitamin D daily achieved 50 ng goal – Jan 2020
• Sunshine is a cure for “weak and soft muscles” – 425 BC
• 4X fewer stress fractures in college athletes if more than 40 ng of vitamin D – Feb 2016
• Elite Athletes Try a New Training Tactic: More Vitamin D - WSJ Jan 2016
• The Importance of Vitamin D for Athletes - 2015
• NCAA athletes – one third had low levels of vitamin D, 19X more likely if black race – March 2015
• Sports benefits from up to 50 ng of Vitamin – meta-analysis - Nov 2012

Overview Sports and vitamin D has the following summary
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 282 items