How do you maximize sports performance while avoiding injury? Athletic analysts are saying the key may actually be Vitamin D levels!
This super basic nutrient has been shown to play a key role in, not only enhancing your sports level abilities but protecting your muscles and bones while you do it.
Recent studies on the NFL Steelers as well as the Giants show a strong correlation between low Vitamin D levels and the muscle and bone injuries players are experiencing.
“There might be some real breakthroughs to be made by getting players up to optimum Vitamin D ranges,” says Rachel Bachman, Wall Street Journal Reporter for sports and fitness.
Watching Vitamin D levels has actually been going on for years in the college and professional sports world, but the idea is just now emerging into mainstream media that we might all benefit from doing the same!
“Some teams also test for things like magnesium and iron levels, but Vitamin D has really become and emphasis.” says Bachman.
Studies are showing that the prime dosage for Vitamin D every day is about 2,000 international units. Randy Bird, the Director of Sports Nutrition at the University of Virginia has been giving his athletes this dose for over 6 years now, with great results.
He believes it’s important for performance enhancement as well as overall health.
Of course, there are other ways to increase your Vitamin D levels. “I always have a food-first philosophy. So, if we can get it {Vitamin D} from our food that would be optimal…” Bird shares with Wall Street Journal Reporter.
Here are some key foods with the highest dosage of this nutrient already in them, naturally:
– Fish
– Eggs
– Fortified Milk
– Wild Salmon
Although the levels are not high enough to actually get you up to optimum health, it couldn’t hurt to load up on them anyway!
One of the strongest sources of Vitamin D is actually the sunlight.
We’ve all been sold on the idea that wearing sunblock is the safest thing to do in order to protect your skin, and studies are still saying that’s a fact. Ryan adds that “It’s the UV rays that interact with the D cholesterol in our skin that converts to Vitamin D, so yes, sunblock blocks Vitamin D”
However, avoiding skin cancer by wearing your sunblock and taking a supplement or eating foods with high levels of the super nutrient is going to be your safest bet.
So, don’t throw out your sunscreen just yet!
How are you making sure you get enough Vitamin D to keep your body strong and healthy? Share with us in the comments section below!
