a frequent deficit, bad for your health

Advertisements to scientific studies, we hear all the time about the multiple benefits of vitamin D. Everyone knows, it helps to fix calcium on bones, ensuring good bone health, allowing children to grow healthy and avoiding risks fractures due to osteoporosis in the elderly.

Other less known benefits of this super vitamin: it participates in effective muscle contraction, good nerve transmission, adequate coagulation and balanced hormonal regulation. But not only because according to a new US study published late October in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiologyvitamin D would also be synonymous with good cardiorespiratory health.

Cardiorespiratory health

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University conducted this research on nearly 2,000 participants aged 20 to 49 years. Of these, 5.2% were women, 49.1% were white, 13% had hypertension and 4% had diabetes. Scientists then discovered that people with high levels of vitamin D had better cardiorespiratory health than others.

In detail, each increase in vitamin D (10 nmol / L) is badociated with an increase in cardiorespiratory fitness (0.78 mL / kg / min VO2 max). This badociation is also independent of age, bad, cholesterol levels, or other health risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension of participants, the study said.

Thus, vitamin D could increase myocytes or muscle fibers by promoting the synthesis of muscle proteins and the transport of calcium and phosphorus in energy production, the researchers note. This increase in some muscle fibers (and other decreases in pbading) could further enhance the participants' athletic abilities.

New studies should take place on older populations

In the past, several animal studies have already shown that vitamin D may play a role in heart structure and function, researchers say, explaining that chicken cardiomyocyte mitochondria produce less energy when its vitamin D levels are higher. low.

Encouraged by the results of their research, scientists now want to go further to identify the optimal level of vitamin D for good cardiovascular health. "Randomized trials to examine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on cardiorespiratory fitness over a longer period will take place." The benefits of vitamin D to the general public other than bone health need to be examined, "conclude the researchers who hope to open their studies to older populations.

Sun, fatty fish and eggs

Given these findings, it is recommended to monitor its vitamin D levels in the blood to avoid deficiencies, especially likely to occur in this cold and gray period of the year. According to ANSES, recommended intakes are 5 μg per day in adults and children over 3 years, and 10 to 15 μg per day in the elderly. If during your medical tests, you realize that your vitamin D is less than 15 ng / ml, it is that you are in moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency, as 75 to 80% of French people.

To remedy this, avoid food supplements, because of the risk of overdose. Sunbathe about fifteen minutes a day minimum and when you have time, walk around to get as much air as possible. If the weather is always poor, opt for light therapy, very effective. Finally, remember to monitor your diet. Choose fatty fish such as salmon, herrings or sardines, eggs, milk, enriched vegetable milk or mushrooms.

Interested in this topic ? Come to discuss it on our forum!