ATHLETES, HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD REMEMBER YOUR VITAMIN D !

How often do you take your Vitamin D? It’s very important and plays a fundamental role for maintaining a healthy body. Keep reading to find out a few reasons why you should remember to take it regularly and how to consume it.

Vitamin D’s main benefits include helping with immune response, cardiovascular function, bone metabolism, muscle function and growth. It is also very helpful as it regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases. Therefore, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is essential for athletes to stay healthy as well as to improve their performance.

It’s good to know not enough Vitamin D can have negative effects on the body, such as leading to bone abnormalities such as soft bones, fragile bones, or bone pain.

Vitamin D can be consumed through various ways. One way is through regular and safe sun exposure, for example outdoor training. However, in the past year, during the pandemic, people have struggled with inadequate amount of sunlight due to the sudden increase of staying indoors. Therefore, it has become essential to compensate for the loss of vitamin D with a proper diet, by eating foods rich in vitamin D or taking supplements such as cod liver oil. Below are examples of foods that include Vitamin D which can easily be included in a daily diet.

From animal products:

• Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
• Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products.
• Beef liver.
• Cheese.
• Egg yolks.
From non-animal products:

Orange juice, soy milk, and •cereals.
• Spinach.
• Kale.
• Okra.
• Collards.
• Soybeans.
• White beans.
• Mushrooms.

In summary, spending time outdoors in a safe way in the sun, as well as complimenting this with a healthy, varied diet which includes Vitamin D, or through certain supplements, keeps a body healthy.