According to research from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, high levels of vitamin D in the blood are now linked with better overall fitness levels. In the study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 20 to 49 year-olds with more of the sunshine vitamin flowing through their veins had greater levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, which is a measure of aerobic fitness determined by measuring maximal oxygen consumption, or VO2max, during exertion.
Here’s the science: muscle cells have receptors for vitamin D, which explains why this nutrient can get in there and influence your athletic performance. While the study only showed the link between vitamin D and cardiorespiratory levels and not other fitness factors, the science behind it indicates a high likelihood that it exists.
So if you’re a fitness-minded kind of gal or guy, it is probably a good idea to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D through safe amounts of sun exposure, dietary sources like fatty fish and fortified dairy or orange juice, and even supplements if your dietician or doctor deems it necessary.
—
Photo Credit: Kavun Halyna / Shutterstock.com