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Low vitamin D levels may increase risk of muscle injuries

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Individuals who are concerned about their risk of suffering a muscle injury may benefit from seeking vitamin D testing, as a new study conducted among NFL players suggests that low levels of the nutrient may make a person more prone to this type of injury.

For the study, researchers from the Summit Medical Group administered vitamin D tests to a group of 89 professional football players on one team prior to the start of the season. Officials from the team also provided the researchers with injury histories for all of the players.

The results showed that 16 of the players studied had clinically deficient levels of vitamin D and had recently experienced a muscle injury. Furthermore, African American players seemed to be at the greatest risk of having low levels of the nutrient. Many other players had a low but not deficient vitamin D status.

"Eighty percent of the football team we studied had vitamin D insufficiency. African American players and players who suffered muscle injuries had significantly lower levels," said Michael Shindle, who participated in the research.