Private MD News

Home | News | Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Athletes show seasonal fluctuations in Vitamin D

Updated: 2009-06-29 18:58:51 CST Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

by Francis Ma

Research on athletes at the University of Wyoming has found that their vitamin D levels vary with the seasons, and the lead researcher says the general public may be in danger of wider fluctuations than the athletes.

"We know that people who live at greater than 35 degrees north or south latitude can't make vitamin D in the winter months," said Enette Larson-Meyer, an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in the College of Agriculture. "We need to take supplements or get it from our diet."

Low vitamin D levels have been linked to a number of health problems, including increased risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension and many common cancers.

Larson-Meyer and colleagues are studying vitamin D levels in UW athletes in football, wrestling, track and field, cheerleading, swimming, men's and women's basketball and women's soccer. The vitamin D tests found that about 88 percent of the athletes they studied had sufficient levels in the fall but only 36 percent in the winter.

Members of the general public are probably not as well off as the athletes, according to the researchers.

Related Articles from Private MD:

• Huge Vitamin D study planned
  
• Doctors recommend obese cancer patients get more aggressive vitamin D suppl
  
• Study: Vitamin D screening and supplementation useful for all cancer patien
  
• Vitamin D may be linked to multiple sclerosis
  
• Study: Vitamin D levels predict successful dieting
  

Share on Facebook

Subscribe to Private MD Health News RSS Feed:

News Categories:

Advanced Lipid Treatment I   Allergy Testing   Anemia and RBC disorders   Autoimmune Diseases   Bariatric Lab Testing   Blood and Blood Diseases   Breast   Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers   Celiac Disease Testing   Chlamydia   Coagulation and blood clotting disorders   Colon   Diabetes   DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing   Drug Screening   Environmental Toxin Testing   Female Specific Tests   Gastrointestinal Diseases   General Health   General Wellness   Heart Health and Cholesterol   Herpes   HIV   HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos   Hormones and Metabolism   Infectious Diseases   Infertility Testing-Male   Infertitlity Hormone Testing   Kidney Diseases   Leukemia and WBC disorders   Liver   Liver Diseases   Lyme Disease   Male Specific Tests   Menopause/Peri-Menopausal Diagnosis   Organ Specific Testing   Ovarian   Prostate   Sexually Transmitted Diseases   Thyroid Diseases   Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment   

Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here

Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test? Click here to get started or call us toll-free at 1.877.283.7882. Our certified professionals are ready to assist you.