Vitamin D is essential for bone health. This is something many of us already know or have been told for many years, but this has an even larger impact to athletes who rely on their bone strength for their hobby or profession. Numerous studies have found interesting correlations between Vitamin D level and fracture rates, muscle injuries, and even the likelihood that a person will make an NBA or NFL team.
Vitamin D is important for bone growth, density and remodeling, and is responsible for enhancing intestinal calcium absorption. (Ogan and Prichett, 2013). For patients with vitamin D deficiency, it is difficult for the body to obtain calcium from the diet. Adequate Vitamin D levels increase calcium absorption by two to four times (Endocrinediseases.org). A deficiency in Vitamin D sets off a chain reaction that can lead to some dramatic symptoms if it is not corrected. When Vitamin D levels are depleted, the parathyroid hormone is called upon to increase our calcium levels by stealing it from our bones. Some of the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism include joint pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, depression, trouble concentrating, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, confusion, or an increased thirst and need to urinate (clevelandclinic.org).
As an athlete, you could train all day and be in the best shape of your life, but if your bones are weak, you are increasing your risk for fractures or injuries. As a former professional basketball player and collegiate athlete, this is something I wish I had known as I suffered through my senior year and rookie season in the WNBA with multiple stress fractures. I have no way of knowing what my Vitamin D levels were but living in Storrs, Ct with minimal exposure to regular sunlight, no supplementation of Vitamin D, and knowing that the majority of Americans are Vitamin D deficient, it is likely that I was not receiving adequate amounts.
A Finnish study on military recruits found that individuals with a Vitamin D level of <30 had a significantly higher risk for stress fractures. They also found that females given 800 IU of Vitamin D for 8 weeks had a 20% lower incidence in stress fractures than the placebo group. A study on NFL players found that vitamin D levels were significantly lower in players with at least 1 bone fracture when compared with no bone fractures. They also found that players who were released during the preseason because of either injury or poor performance had significantly lower vitamin D levels than did players who played in the regular season. Similarly, a 2018 study on NBA players a significant relationship was found between increasing vitamin D levels and NBA draft occurrence. This highlights the potential role of vitamin D in influencing neuromuscular function and athletic performance (Greishober et al, 2018).
Athletics demand an incredible amount of energy from the body and supplying yourself with the adequate amounts of necessary vitamins and minerals will help you reach your full potential. Whether its a professional contract or a personal fitness goal, understanding your personal physiological needs can help you achieve the results you are looking for! Send me a message if you are interested in understanding more about your Vitamin D levels or supplementation.
You can read the full studies here:
Finnish Military study, NFL study, NBA study
Maroon JC et al. “Vitamin D profile in National Football League Players.” Am J Sports Med. 2015 May; 43(5)(2015): 1241-5. PubMed. Accessed February 28, 2019 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25649084
shttp://endocrinediseases.org/parathyroid/parathyroid_calcium.shtml
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14454-hyperparathyroidism
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