Image via Flickr
If you’re the kind of person who’d rather jog around the nearest park than slog it out in a gym, you could be getting a better workout than you think.
Vitamin D – the one your body absorbs when exposed to sunlight – may enhance your athletic performance, according to new research out of the US.
An analysis published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal found vitamin D deficiencies, which appear to be more prevalent these days, may negatively impact on fitness levels and muscle function. The study concludes that taking daily supplements can help to lessen these side effects, but only among those who have a deficiency.
Previous studies on the topic of vitamin D and physical exercise have established a link between adequate levels of the vitamin and reduced levels of inflammation, pain and weakness, along with better exercise capacity.
Research has also demonstrated the effect of vitamin D supplements on the performance of various athletes – ballet dancers experienced more strength and improved vertical jump heights, while professional athletes reported improved sprint times and better vertical jumps.
Your body can get its vitamin D hit from certain foods, but being out in the sun for just a few minutes can be enough to keep your levels nice and high. What better excuse do you need to take a run on the beach, start playing tennis or sign up for personal training sessions in your nearest park? Don’t forget the sunscreen, though.
Although the studies cited above explored the benefits of vitamin D supplements, study author Stella Lucia Volpe cautions people against taking them if they haven’t tested positive for a vitamin D deficiency during a medical appointment.
“Vitamin D blood analysis is not routinely done but has been requested much more often by physicians over the last five years or so. If it were up to me, I think we all should be analysed once a year or at least once every other year,” Volpe tells Shape magazine.