Use vitamin D to improve performance and endurance

Even in the winter, it's important to stay outside quite often. Photo: iStock

When the body gets enough sunlight – that is, sufficient amount of UVB radiation – generally produces enough vitamin D. However, if you are not (too) exposed to the sun, for example in autumn and winter, when the sky is cloudy, you can help with drops or vitamin D tablets. But that does not mean that you should not go out regularly. Even in cloudy weather, half an hour of walking can become a balm for the body and soul.

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that the body can produce itself (and therefore, in principle, is more a hormone than a vitamin). And more and more new research shows how important a good level is. Because vitamin D not only contributes significantly to a strong immune system and boosts the immune system, vitamin D is also important for a stable soul, because symptoms of deficiency can worsen fatigue and depression.

Oxygenation is better

But vitamin D can do more, as some studies show. This should promote performance and endurance, which is very attractive to athletes. This is one of the conclusions of a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. This shows, according to study director Amr Marawan of Virginia Commonwealth University in the US, "that higher vitamin D levels with better training capacity are connected".

This study investigated whether people with higher levels of vitamin D in the blood had better cardiorespiratory fitness. Cardiorespiratory fitness shows how well respiration and blood circulation provide oxygen to the body. There is a relationship between higher vitamin D levels and better mobility in men and women, young and middle age groups, and regardless of body mass index, "notes Marawan.

These new findings are in accordance with various study results from the past few years. "Anyone who brings his vitamin D level to speed can perform better in sports. Conversely, vitamin D deficiency can cause athletic performance to collapse», wrote the German portal "Health Center" recently for an overview of various studies on this topic. "Vitamin D increases the endurance and performance of the heart-lung system, increases muscle growth and increases testosterone production."

More power than cardiopulmonary system

Various studies with athletes show, for example, higher oxygen intake thanks to vitamin D, a reduction in muscle inflammation and an increase in energy levels. Two independent studies, presented by the British Journal of Nutrition in 2016, also show that vitamin D can improve the performance of the heart-lung system.

The fact that the supply of vitamin D is quite basic "is very important for human health," emphasizes the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) on the fact sheet. The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) has also published "Recommendations to meet daily vitamin D requirements".

But before you take vitamin D in the form of drops or tablets, you should measure your family doctor's vitamin D levels and get advice about the dosage indicated, if needed. Because overdose for a long time can also be dangerous.

Silvia Aeschbach is a journalist, blogger and writer, she writes u.a. for Tagesanzeiger.ch, "encore!" and "SonntagsZeitung". He has written four best-selling books, "Bye-bye Dream Figure" appeared in the spring of 2018. In addition, he led the style consultancy www.stilbüro.ch. Silvia Aeschbach lives with her husband and two dogs in Zurich.