25(OH)D Status of Elite Athletes with Spinal Cord Injury Relative to Lifestyle Factors.
BACKGROUND
Due to the potential negative impact of low Vitamin D status on performance-related factors and the higher risk of low Vitamin D status in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) population, research is warranted to determine whether elite athletes with SCI have sufficient 25(OH)D levels. The purposes of this study were to examine: (1) the seasonal proportion of vitamin D insufficiency among elite athletes with SCI; and (2) to determine whether lifestyle factors, SCI lesion level, and muscle performance/function are related to vitamin D status in athletes with SCI.


METHODS
Thirty-nine members of the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, and the US Olympic Committee Paralympic program from outdoor and indoor sports were recruited for this study. Dietary and lifestyle factors, and serum 25(OH)D concentrations were assessed during the autumn (October) and winter (February/March). An independent t-test was used to assess differences in 25(OH)D status among seasons, and indoor and outdoor sports in the autumn and winter, respectively.


RESULTS
Mean ± SD serum 25(OH)D concentration was 69.6 ± 19.7 nmol/L (range from 30 to 107.3 nmol/L) and 67.4 ± 25.5 nmol/L (range from 20 to 117.3 nmol/L)in the autumn and winter, respectively. In the autumn, 15.4% of participants were considered vitamin D deficient (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) whereas 51.3% had 25(OH)D concentrations that would be considered insufficient (<80 nmol/L). In the winter, 15.4% were deficient while 41% of all participants were considered vitamin D insufficient.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of elite athletes with SCI have insufficient (41%-51%) and deficient (15.4%) 25(OH)D status in the autumn and winter. Furthermore, a seasonal decline in vitamin D status was not observed in the current study.
Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences, Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA. pritchettk@cwu.edu.
Kelly
K
Pritchett
Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences, Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA. pritchettr@cwu.edu.
Robert
R
Pritchett
Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences, Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA. ogand@cwu.edu.
Dana
D
Ogan
Department of Kinesiology, the University of Alabama, P.O. Box 870312, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA. pbishop@bamaed.ua.edu.
Phil
P
Bishop
US Olympic Committee, 2800 Olympic Parkway, Chula Vista, CA 91915, USA. elizabeth.broad@usoc.org.
Elizabeth
E
Broad
Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, 6111 River Rd, Richmond, BC V7C 0A2, Canada. mlacroix@csipacific.ca.
Melissa
M
LaCroix
D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012621:Seasons; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000097:blood*; D013177:Sports; D064133:Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
D014807:Vitamin D
25(OH)D; athletes; spinal cord injuries; sun exposure