Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common in the general population and may impair skeletal muscle function. Very few data are available regarding this condition in professional athletes.
Aim: To evaluate some skeletal parameters and in particular serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in professional rugby players during two different sunlight exposure times (October and early April) and to assess its impact on bone metabolism.
Materials And Methods: Twenty-one male healthy professional rugby players living in northern Italy at latitude of 44°55'N (age 24.6 ± 4.3 years; height 182.0 ± 0.05 cm; mass 96.3 ± 14.6 kg; BMI 28.9 ± 3.7 kg/m(2)) participated in this observational study. During 2012/2013 Italian rugby season, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, PTH and other related biochemical parameters were monitored. Dietary calcium intake and body composition by DXA were also evaluated.
Results: Significant changes were observed between October and April data for 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration (22.8 ± 5.8 vs. 19.1 ± 5.3 ng/ml; p = 0.001) whereas serum PTH, calcium and phosphorus plasma levels did not change. They presented with an appropriate daily intake of calcium (1,304.8 ± 477.9 mg; max 1,939 mg; min 228 mg).
Conclusions: Professional rugby athletes practicing a sport characterized by intense outdoor training and with good calcium intake are at higher risk of hypovitaminosis D that worsens significantly during times of low cutaneous vitamin D production. Further studies are warranted to evaluate whether an appropriate supplementation with cholecalciferol in professional athletes is needed.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40618-014-0070-0 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Running Low: A Seasonal Analysis of Micronutrient Deficiencies on External-Load Measures in Elite Female Rugby League Players.
Int J Sports Physiol Perform
January 2025
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE), University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Unlabelled: Iron and vitamin D are essential for physiological mechanisms underpinning physical capacities characterizing team-sport performance. Yet, the impact of iron deficiency on physical capacities beyond endurance is not clear.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess variations in seasonal micronutrient concentrations and how iron deficiency impacts external-load measures in elite female rugby league players.
Psychological-Emotional Aspect and Lifestyle in Professional Males Rugby Athletes.
Nutrients
January 2025
Sports Medicine Centre, University of Florence, 50121 Firenze, Italy.
Background: Recent research emphasizes the importance of integrating psychological-emotional factors with nutrition and body composition in athletes. This study investigates the correlations between these aspects in 36 professional rugby players, aiming to identify relationships that could optimize sports performance and overall well-being.
Methods: The study sample included 36 male athletes (mean age: 24.
Which Positions Optimize Pelvic Floor Activation in Female Athletes?
Life (Basel)
January 2025
Physiotherapy and Health Research Group (FYSA), Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences-HM Hospitals, University Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain.
Background/objectives: Implementing and optimizing pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training programs is crucial for reducing the risk of dysfunctions, improving athletic performance, and enhancing quality of life for athletes. The aim of this study was to assess PFM activation in female athletes during postural challenges.
Methods: An observational and descriptive study was conducted with twenty-five female rugby players.
Multisport-Integrated Training for Rugby Instructors: Success and Effects on Minirugby Players.
J Funct Morphol Kinesiol
December 2024
Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Background/objectives: The educational system thinking approach (ST) takes a holistic vision of instructors/teachers and learners' relationships, making sports pivotal for reflection on education. This study evaluated the efficacy of a multisport ST-based course on minirugby instructors' teaching competence and children players' motor conduct.
Methods: The twenty-five rugby instructors (IAC) attended the 25 h course and the children of their teams (n = 109, Ch-IAC) participated in this study as experimental groups.
Slipping Through the Cracks? Concussion Management in Aotearoa New Zealand Secondary Schools.
J Sch Health
January 2025
Centre of Health, Activity, Rehabilitation Research, School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Background: Concussion-related guidelines appear to be inconsistently implemented in secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. The purpose of this qualitative Participatory Action Research study was to describe key school stakeholders' perceptions of their current concussion management processes.
Methods: Seventeen focus groups, two dyad, and nine individual interviews were conducted with stakeholders (n = 95) from six secondary schools and healthcare clinics, exploring their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to concussion management.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!