Vit. D deficient NFL players get injured

Even professional athletes – National Football League players at that – can be deficient in vitamins. This was found in a study conducted by some doctors analyzing the relationship between muscle injuries and Vitamin D levels.

Michael Shindle, MD, lead researcher of the team that undertook the study that is being presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, said in a press release that “Eighty percent of the football team we studied had vitamin D insufficiency.” He added that “African American players and players who suffered muscle injuries had significantly lower levels.”

Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption for bone growth. Thus, too little vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis, rickets, and other bone diseases. The vitamin also plays a role in the functioning of the nerves, muscles, and immune systems. It is obtained from diet – particularly from gg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver – and supplements. The body also forms it naturally after being in sunlight, but sunlight exposure is not really recommended anymore.

The study involved 89 football players coming from one NFL team. The players' Vitamin D levels were measured as part of routine pre-season tests. The team provided data on which players had muscle injuries. Vitamin D levels were then classified based on player race and time lost due to muscle injury.

It was found that 27 players had deficient levels (<20 ng/ML) of Vitamin D, and 45 had insufficient levels (20-31.9 ng/mL). The remaining 17 players had values within normal limits (>32 ng/mL). It was also found that there was a difference in vitamin D levels in white players (mean of 30.3 ng/mL) compared to black players (mean of 20.4 ng/mL). Sixteen players suffered a muscle injury with a mean Vitamin D level of 19.9.
Shindle's fellow researcher, Dr. Scott Rodeo, MD, Co-Chief of the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery noted that “Screening and treatment of Vitamin D insufficiency in professional athletes may be a simple way to help prevent injuries.” Also, Dr. Joseph Lane, MD, Director of the Metabolic Bone Disease Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery expressed that “Further research also needs to be conducted in order to determine if increasing Vitamin D leads to improved maximum muscle function.”