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Jun 01
2009
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This month, the American College of Sports Medicine published an article in their Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal that says vitamin D can actually help athletic performance .
While a few sessions of indoor tanning isn't going to turn you into Shawn Johnson or Michael Phelps, the article, titled 'Athletic Performance and Vitamin D' , found that because vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone that regulates over a thousand vitamin D-responsive genes, it may postively affect athletic performance. The article cited a number of studies, including a German study that found increased exposure to UV-B rays improves athletic performance.
Athletes who already participate in outdoor sports — long-distance runners, cyclists, baseball players and soccer players — have plenty of vitamin D, but it's the indoor and winter athletes who could probably use the extra vitamin D boost to aid their performance.
And because vitamin D deficiencies can actually be dangerous for an athlete (for all of us, actually), resulting in bone loss, increased risk of injury and a weakened immune system, it's critical that these sports enthusiasts keep a close eye on their vitamin D levels.
So, what does this mean for our Olympic athletes? Will we see our luge and speed skating teams preparing for Vancouver 2010 with indoor tanning sessions and lots of sunshine? Maybe. I can tell you this much - sunshine and UV-B rays aren't illegal.
While a few sessions of indoor tanning isn't going to turn you into Shawn Johnson or Michael Phelps, the article, titled 'Athletic Performance and Vitamin D' , found that because vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone that regulates over a thousand vitamin D-responsive genes, it may postively affect athletic performance. The article cited a number of studies, including a German study that found increased exposure to UV-B rays improves athletic performance.
Athletes who already participate in outdoor sports — long-distance runners, cyclists, baseball players and soccer players — have plenty of vitamin D, but it's the indoor and winter athletes who could probably use the extra vitamin D boost to aid their performance.
And because vitamin D deficiencies can actually be dangerous for an athlete (for all of us, actually), resulting in bone loss, increased risk of injury and a weakened immune system, it's critical that these sports enthusiasts keep a close eye on their vitamin D levels.
So, what does this mean for our Olympic athletes? Will we see our luge and speed skating teams preparing for Vancouver 2010 with indoor tanning sessions and lots of sunshine? Maybe. I can tell you this much - sunshine and UV-B rays aren't illegal.
