Better Than Fish Oil?
We have been hearing for years now that the be-all, end-all nutritional supplement has been fish oil and essential fatty acids. No, they have not come under disfavor, but some people like Charles Poloquin believe the “sunshine vitamin”, Vitamin D3 has more upside benefit than even fish oils. (It should be noted that D3 is far superior than the the synthetic D2 version). Poliquin asserts,
“Vitamin D3 may be the single most important supplement we can take for our health.”
For more of the benefits to D3, read the summary of research on vitamin D3.
Lifters and other athletes have to be concerned with overall health in addition to legal performance enhancing substances, but here are two specific benefits that support our training.
12. Muscle mass and strength: “Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness.” “Performance speed and proximal muscle strength were markedly improved when 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increase from 4 to 16 ng per milliliter (10 to 40 nmol [nanomole] per liter) and continued to improve as the levels increase to more than 40ng per milliliter (100 nmol per liter). Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
13. Weight Loss: “For every increase of 1 ng/mL in level of 25-OH D3, subjects ended up losing almost 0.2 kg more on their calorie-restricted diet.” Shalamar Sibley, prepublication report for the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting.
Also interesting is that D3 is more correctly classified as a prohormone than a vitamin.
Please refer to Poliquin’s article for the other 12 or so health benefits of D3, including how to optimally dose it.
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Interesting to read that a vitamin D deficiency may cause muscle weakness and increasing vitamin D serum levels helps improve weight loss.