An Observation of the Vitamin D Status in Highly Trained Adolescent Swimmers during the UK Autumn and Winter Months

Newbury, Josh W. and Brown, Meghan A. and Cole, Matthew and Kelly, Adam L. and Gough, Lewis A. (2023) An Observation of the Vitamin D Status in Highly Trained Adolescent Swimmers during the UK Autumn and Winter Months. Physiologia. ISSN 2673-9488

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Abstract

The purpose of this research was two-fold: (a) to observe whether highly trained adolescent swimmers abide to vitamin D supplement recommendations; and (b) to monitor changes in circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) that occur between the autumn and winter months. Twenty swimmers (age: 17 ± 2 years) from a UK high-performance swimming club volunteered to complete two blood spot cards to determine their 25(OH)D concentration: the first in an autumn training phase (October) and the second during winter training (January). All swimmers were advised to consume vitamin D3 supplements across the assessment period; however, only 50% of swimmers adhered to this recommendation. Resultantly, a winter decline in 25(OH)D was observed in non-supplementing swimmers (79.6 ± 25.2 to 52.6 ± 15.1 nmol·L−1, p = 0.005), with swimmers either displaying an ‘insufficient’ (60%) or ‘deficient’ (40%) vitamin D status. In comparison, a greater maintenance of 25(OH)D occurred in supplementing swimmers (92.0 ± 25.5 to 97.2 ± 38.3 nmol·L−1, p = 0.544), although variable outcomes occurred at the individual level (four increased, three maintained, three declined). These findings highlight the possible risks of vitamin D insufficiency during the winter for swimmers in the UK, possibly requiring standardised supplement practices. Moreover, alternative educational strategies may be required for swimmers to transfer knowledge to practice in order to improve supplement adherence in future.

Item Type: Article
Identification Number: 10.3390/physiologia3030031
Dates:
Date
Event
5 September 2023
Accepted
7 September 2023
Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords: vitamin D, supplements, sport nutrition, swimming, adolescent athletes
Subjects: CAH03 - biological and sport sciences > CAH03-02 - sport and exercise sciences > CAH03-02-01 - sport and exercise sciences
Divisions: Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences > College of Life Sciences
Depositing User: Lewis Gough
Date Deposited: 13 Aug 2024 08:46
Last Modified: 13 Aug 2024 08:46
URI: https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/15713

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