Almost 70% of elite Dutch athletes may be Vitamin D insufficient or deficient, says a new study from the Netherlands Olympic Committee and DSM.
While the study was limited to highly trained Dutch athletes, the findings are in line with earlier studies from the UK and USA which found that only 40 to 60% of the athletes have adequate levels of 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active ‘storage’ form of the vitamin in the body.
Low vitamin D levels may be associated with decreased muscle strength and muscle protein synthesis, both of which may impact athletic performance.