title: A review of vitamin D and its effects on athletes.
abstract: Research into vitamin D has revealed the important role it plays in a variety of biologic functions. Despite this importance, vitamin D deficiency remains one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in the world. Although no evidence exists that athletes have a higher daily requirement than the general population, vitamin D deficiency in athletic individuals has been linked to decreased physical performance and a predisposition to stress fractures. Research investigating ergogenic effects of direct vitamin D supplementation in non-deficient athletes has yet to be performed. This review discusses the current evidence on the effects of vitamin D in athletes, along with recommended strategies for the correction of deficient states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV. cwatkins@hsc.wvu.edu.
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Mathew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lively
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D