Ultra-Marathon-Induced Increase in Serum Levels of Vitamin D Metabolites: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Jan Mieszkowski,Tomasz Bieńkowski,Konrad Kowalski,Jędrzej Antosiewicz,Rafał Rola,Michał A Żmijewski,Błażej Stankiewicz,Bartłomiej Niespodziński,Andrzej Kochanowicz,Tomasz Kowalik

doi:10.3390/nu12123629

Abstract

Purpose: While an increasing number of studies demonstrate the importance of vitamin D for athletic performance, the effects of any type of exercise on vitamin D metabolism are poorly characterized. We aimed to identify the responses of some vitamin D metabolites to ultra-marathon runs. Methods: A repeated-measures design was implemented, in which 27 amateur runners were assigned into two groups: those who received a single dose of vitamin D3 (150,000 IU) 24 h before the start of the marathon (n = 13) and those (n = 14) who received a placebo. Blood samples were collected 24 h before, immediately after, and 24 h after the run. Results: In both groups of runners, serum 25(OH)D3, 24,25(OH)2D3, and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 levels significantly increased by 83%, 63%, and 182% after the ultra-marathon, respectively. The increase was most pronounced in the vitamin D group. Body mass and fat mass significantly decreased after the run in both groups. Conclusions: Ultra-marathon induces the mobilization of vitamin D into the blood. Furthermore, the 24,25(OH)2D3 and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 increases imply that the exercise stimulates vitamin D metabolism.

Highlights

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the regulation of multiple physiological processes
We proposed that ultra-marathon, which alters the production of hundreds of exerkines [25] and has the potential to reduce the amount of adipose tissue [26], influences vitamin D metabolism
We found that ultra-marathon induced a significant increase in metabolites of vitamin D3 which do not possess classical metabolic effects of the active form of vitamin D3

Summary

Introduction

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the regulation of multiple physiological processes. Its activity is mainly ascribed to the active form, 1,25(OH) D3 , which acts via a specific vitamin D receptor (VDR). VDR is a transcriptional factor that regulates the expression of approximately 1000 genes. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with multiple morbidities, such as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, and others [3,4,5,6]. It is recognized that vitamin D status is an important risk factor for several diseases of civilization. More and more athletes show a low vitamin D status, which may negatively impact the health, performance, and training efficiency of athletes [7,8]

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