While it is essential that anyone spending time out in the sun this summer takes steps to protect themselves from UV rays, there are also certain health benefits to be reaped from a day at the beach. Exposure to sunlight is one of the only means to naturally take in vitamin D, a nutrient that facilitates calcium absorption and helps moderate blood pressure, among other functions. Recently, scientists from South Korea have identified yet another reason to boost your uptake of this vitamin.
According to the study abstract, published by ScienceDirect, the researchers found that taking vitamin D supplements could help reduce the muscle damage that occurs after exercise. Using an animal model, the scientists sought to shed light on the relationship between vitamin d consumption and muscle recovery.
To accomplish this, the team subjected two groups of rats to extreme physical exertion on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks. The animals in one section were given a supplement containing the sunshine vitamin. During this time, the researchers conducted blood tests that revealed how the nutrient affected the body's inflammatory responses. They ultimately found that taking vitamin D supplements could counter the damage that physical exertion can inflict on muscles.
"In this study, we found that vitamin D3 treatment modulates the elevation in muscle damage markers […] and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by high-intensity exercise," the researchers concluded. "Therefore, the supplementation with vitamin D3 may be beneficial in the rapid recovery or in protecting muscle damage from consistent training."
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