Get Some Vitamin D Muscle Growth

A 2016 clinical trial investigated the effect of vitamin D supplements on muscle strength and muscle function in middle-aged women. The trial also investigated the effect of vitamin D supplements on body composition: the percentages of fat, bone, water, and muscle in the body.

71 women, aged 40-55 years, were divided in two groups randomly. And they received a 1000 IU vitamin D3 tablet or a placebo, daily for 12 weeks. At the beginning and at the end of the study, researchers assessed and statistically analyzed the following:

• dietary intake
• body composition
• muscle strength and function
• vitamin D status
• physical activity level
• sun exposure

All participants admitted in the trial had a serum 25(OH)-D of less than 25 ng/ml. This vitamin D level indicates deficiency. And this was one of the criteria that determined admission.

A study, titled “Effect of Vitamin D Supplement Consumption on Muscle Strength, Muscle Function and Body Composition in Vitamin D-deficient Middle-aged Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial” (2016), is published in Nutrition and Food Sciences Research. It reports the background, methods, and conclusions of the clinical trial.

The most important conclusion is that 1000 IU vitamin D supplements resulted in improvement in muscle function and body composition. Fat mass also decreased in the vitamin D group.

However, 1000 IU vitamin D supplementation had no significant effect on muscle strength. In fact, it appears that vitamin D may have greater effects on muscle coordination than strength.

The major natural source of vitamin D is sun exposure (specifically exposure to ultraviolet sunlight). Skin synthesizes the vitamin through chemical reactions. And, in turn, the vitamin facilitates many functions within the body, including development and maintenance of muscle cells. 

Conversely, vitamin D deficiency is most often due to insufficient exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency can also be caused by inadequate nutritional intake of vitamin D, as well as by disorders limiting vitamin D absorption and processing.

Vitamin D deficiency results in weakened bones and increased risk of bone fractures. Previous research suggests that sarcopenia, the loss of muscle strength and muscle mass with aging, is also associated with vitamin D deficiency.

Of course there’s nothing like spending time outdoors with plenty of sunlight. But that is not always an option, especially for those who live in places where sunlight is scarce, or those with significant mobility impairments. It’s good to know that supplements like Thrivous Tenacity can help people get higher levels of vitamin D.