Sustaining health and consistency over winter: Role of Vit D
Living in the northern hemisphere, where we get little sun, a lot of rain and train in the cold for months can potentially be a at a recipe for illness and injury unless we plan accordingly. Not just with regards to the type of training and recovery we build in so we can sustain consistency, but also in our nutrition. We have discussed previously the importance of periodising our nutrition for our training demands, making sure you have an abundance of fruit and vegetables alongside the key macronutrients, however here we are going to focus specifically on the role of Vitamin D, which athletes often overlook. We mainly get this from sunlight, which is lacking in the UK, and even if it does grace us with an appearance, its strength is too weak and with the days being so short, its just not enough. Unfortunately vitamin D is difficult to obtain through nutrition alone even oily fish, eggs, some mushrooms and fortified cereals do not provide enough to meet the daily requirement. Therefore, if you find you are struggling with lethargy, achy joints, and picking up a lot of coughs and colds, the chances are you may need to consider a vitamin D supplement, OR a couple of weeks somewhere sunny!
Firstly, it is important to understand the role of vitamin D in the body, and why it is so important, especially for athletes who are placing increased stress on the body on a daily basis. Very briefly, vitamin D is crucial for bone strength and calcium absorption, muscle function and immune system support. It also plays a role in inflammation regulation which supports recovery as well as long term health. Therefore its obvious why it plays an important role in your training regime! The UK guidelines recommend 400 IU daily through the Autumn and Winter months, however a blood test will highligh If you have darker skins, stay indoors throughout the year or always cover up when outside its worth getting regular blood tests and consider supplementing throughout the year.
If you are interesting in finding out a bit more about the role of Vitamin D for athletes, have a listen of this