Many Active Women are Vitamin D Deficient

Written by Shoshana Pritzker Tuesday, 18 October 2011 20:31

Many Active Women are Vitamin D Deficient

Vitamin D is important for normal calcium metabolism, and plays a vital role in maintaining bone and muscle health. Many women are vitamin D deficient because they shun vitamin D-fortified dairy products and don't get much outdoor activity. Vitamin D is produced naturally in the skin as part of a reaction involving sunlight, but it is also consumed in the diet. Vitamin D promotes muscle mass and strength, and plays a critical role in muscle protein synthesis. Women low in vitamin D should shoot for blood levels greater than 40 nanograms per milliliter of blood. (Current Sports Medicine Reports, 9: 220-226, 2010)