Soccer improved in children by a single 200,000 IU dose of Vitamin D – RCT

Created October 2019

A single mega dose of vitamin D3 improves selected physical variables in vitamin D insufficient young amateur soccer players: a randomized controlled trial.

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2019 Oct 9. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0525.

Single dose to deficient and measured improvements 12 weeks later * Wonder what "F" means in the table statistics * Abstract does not indicate # of children * Abstract does not indicate defined level of Vitamin D deficiency Note: Should continue Vitamin D dosing after 8 weeks * See Infant-Child At least 15,000 IU/25 lbs per 2 weeks Overview Sports and vitamin D has the following summary {include} --- * Athletes helped by weekly 50,000 IU Vitamin D – RCT Aug 2019 * Mechanisms of vitamin D action in skeletal muscle – June 2019 * Recreational athletes having more than 20 ng of vitamin D run faster – Dec 2018 * Result of 5 years of Vitamin D given to athletes in a high school: $60 million in scholarships, almost zero concussions, etc. - June 2016

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Note - Levels peak in 1 week and decrease a lot 12 weeks later

Bezrati I1,2, Ben Fradj MK3, Hammami R4, Ouerghi N5, Padulo J6,7, Feki M8.

1 National Center of Medicine and Sciences in Sports , 2010 Tunis, Tunisia , tunis, Tunisia , 2010.

2 Rabta Hospital, Laboratory of Biochemistry , 1007 Tunis, Tunisia , Tunisia ; ikram.cnmss@yahoo.com.

3 Rabta Hospital , rue jbal lakhthar , Tunis, Tunisia , 8050 ; kacim1984@hotmail.fr.

4 National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports, 504792, Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia ; raouf.hammami81@gmail.com.

5 High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, Kef, Tunisia ; najm_ouerghi@hotmail.com.

6 University eCampus, Novedrate, Italy , Via Isimbardi 10 , Novedrate (CO), Italy , 22060.

7 National Centre for Medicine and Science in Sports, Tunisian Research laboratory, Tunis, Tunisia , BP263 ; sportcinetic@gmail.com.

8 Université de Tunis El Manar Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, 59074, Biochemistry, Tunis, Tunisia ; moncef.feki@rns.tn.

This randomized controlled trial aimed to test whether vitamin D (VD) supplementation affects measures of physical performance in VD-insufficient mildly trained children. Thirty-six recreationally soccer player boys were randomly assigned to single dose (200,000 IU) of VD3 (n=19) or placebo (n=17). Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) was assessed and measures of physical performance (i.e. vertical and standing broad jumps, triple hop, 10-m and 30-m sprints, shuttle run) were performed before and 12 weeks after the loading dose. Mixed ANCOVA models were performed and effect size was estimated by partial eta squared (ηp2). Baseline 25-OHD and physical variables were equivalent in the two groups. Twelve weeks after VD loading, plasma 25-OHD increased and physical variables improved in VD group, only.

There was a significant interaction effects for group by time for


vertical jump	(F=14.9, p=0.001, ηp2=0.394)
triple hop jump	(F=24.2, p<0.001, ηp2=0.513)
10-m sprint	(F=4.46, p=0.046, ηp2=0.162)
30-m sprint	(F=6.56, p=0.017, ηp2=0.222)
shuttle run	F=13.4, p=0.001, ηp2=0.369).

In conclusion, a single bolus of VD3 resulted in significant improvements in jumping ability, agility, and running speed in VD-insufficient mildly trained children. The findings suggest that correcting VD deficit might be beneficial for physical performance.

• A mega dose of vitamin D3 improves jumping ability, agility, and running speed in VD-insufficient mildly trained children

• Effect of vitamin D on measures of physical performance is noticeable three months after the loading dose.