Vitamins are essential nutrients for the proper functioning
of our bodies and, along with other nutrients, act as catalysts for all
physiological processes, such as growth.
There are many types of vitamins, 13 in total, but they all
fall into two categories:
Water-soluble vitamins that are not stored in the body.
Excess or excess amounts of these vitamins leave the body through urine. They
must be taken regularly to avoid deficiency in the body, except for vitamin
B12.
Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver, adipose
tissue, and body muscles. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K; In this
post, we will talk about the importance of vitamin D in athletic performance.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is represented by two compounds: cholecalciferol
(Vitamin D3) and ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2), structurally similar steroids
derived from vitamin D sterols.
The difference is that vitamin D3 is produced by the action
of solar energy on the skin of animals and humans. At the same time, vitamin D2
is also produced by solar activity but in plants, fungi, and yeasts. @smarttechpros
We can get vitamin D in three different ways:
through the diet
from the skin
of nutritional supplements...
The body naturally produces vitamin D after exposure to
sunlight. But overexposure to the sun can age and thus cause skin cancer; This
is why many people try to get vitamin D from other sources.
Therefore, 90% of the vitamin D produced by our skin is caused
by the sun's ultraviolet rays. This means that depending on where we live,
people who live in less sunny locations need to include vitamin D-rich foods in
their diet. In this sense, health and sports professionals recommend practising
water sports or being free outdoors to expose yourself to the correct exposure
to sun and thus get more benefits when doing sports.
What is vitamin D used for?
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, one of the building
blocks of bone. Vitamin D deficiency can cause bone diseases such as
osteoporosis or rickets. In addition, vitamin D plays an essential role in the
nervous, muscular, and immune systems.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has declared that
Vitamin D is essential for our body for the following reasons:
Contributes to the everyday maintenance of muscle function.
It is a critical component in cell division.
Contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system.
It contributes to the normal absorption of calcium and
phosphorus from bones and teeth and is essential for growth and development.
The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is based on
age and given in international units (IU) or micrograms (mcg). In addition, we
must consider that the amount of vitamin D produced by the body depends on many
factors: the season of the year, the time of day, the latitude in which we
live, lifestyle, or skin pigmentation.
Benefits of taking Vitamin D
Benefits of taking Vitamin D
The benefits of taking vitamin D are varied, but we
highlight the following:
Increased muscle mass
Vitamin D is an essential substance for skeletal muscles,
helping to repair and hypertrophy them.
A decrease in vitamin D may be related to decreased muscle
strength, reduced performance, increased risk of injury, and increased ability
to retain subcutaneous and visceral fat.
Based on this, researchers at the University of Birmingham
in the UK have shown that an increase in vitamin D helps build muscle.
Improve athletic performance
For better athletic performance, Vitamin D is an essential
nutrient; This is not only because its deficiency is a limiting factor in our
athletic performance, but it is also enhanced when our vitamin D level is high.
It is essential to have an adequate diet of this vitamin to
achieve the best possible performance and optimal muscle recovery.
Reduces the risk of injury
One of the risks of not having a good vitamin D level is an infection,
which can increase exponentially if we are not careful.
What happens if I don't take vitamin D?
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, leading
to osteoporosis or bone fractures. A severe shortage of vitamin D can also lead
to other types of diseases; for example, in children, it can cause rickets, and
in adults, it leads to osteomalacia and muscle weakness.
Vitamin D deficiency can occur for various reasons:
We don't get enough vitamins. @techgeeksblogger