Vitamin D for Athletes

Vitamin D - commonly known as the sunshine vitamin, is full of benefits.  It prevents cancer, helps fight infection, reduces falls in the elderly, reduces stress fractures, helps heal wounds, and even improves mood (especially for those suffering from S.A.D.).

Vitamin D generally comes from exposure to the sun if you have ample access to that. Depending on who you talk to, you may hear that it can be absorbed through sunscreen or not. I don't claim to be a vitamin D expert, so I'm just going to say I don't know. I don't wear sunscreen personally, but that's a very personal choice based on a variety of things. Anyway, vitamin D is also something that many people are deficient in - often without knowing it. The federal government changes their opinion on how much is the appropriate amount to have in your blood stream, but that number has been going up. That number is also very different if you ask doctors or nutritionists.

This is especially true for athletes. Some people don't consider yogis to be athletes - and while not all yoga is the same - a good chunk of asana based systems are quite athletic in practice. I consider myself an athlete and I try to treat myself as such nutritionally. I've heard often that anywhere from 2000 IU - 5000 IU per day is a good amount of vitamin D for athletes to consume. I take a supplement of 2000 IU Vitamin D3 each morning and it seems to be helpful. I mostly take it because I live up north where we don't see the sun all that often, but there are studies and claims of all sorts of vitamin D benefits for athletes that are worth considering.

"The right amount of vitamin D will make you faster, stronger, improve your balance and timing, etc."
Source: Vitamin D Council

Symptoms and Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency:
"Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

• Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Cognitive impairment in older adults
• Severe asthma in children
• Cancer

Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis."
Source: Web MD

Now that the sun is starting to party with us, here in the states, full time - go get some Vitamin D the natural way. Do some yoga outside, meditate outside, take your dog or bunny on a long walk in the sun, wash your car, do some gardening - just get out there.