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- Title
Vitamin D status and biomarkers of inflammation in runners.
- Authors
Willis, Kentz S.; Smith, Derek T.; Broughton, Kenneth S.; Enette Larson-Meyer, D.
- Abstract
Background and purpose: The extra-skeletal functions of vitamin D - including its role in inflammatory modulation - are now well recognized but have not yet been investigated in an athletic population. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (as markers of inflammation and immune system function) in endurance athletes. Patients and methods: We analyzed fasting blood samples from 19 healthy, endurance-trained male and female runners (following a standardized diet and exercise regimen) for vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D)] and specific plasma cytokine concentrations (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interferon-gamma [IFN-γ], interleukin [IL]-4, and IL-10). Serum/plasma concentrations were log-transformed and simple regression analysis was used to determine significant associations between 25(OH)D and cytokine concentrations. Results: Forty-two percent of participants had insufficient vitamin D status [25(OH)D , 32 ng/mL], whereas 11% were deficient [25(OH)D , 20 ng/mL]. TNF-α and IL-4 were variable, ranging from 2.9 to 36.4 pg/mL and 0 to 252.1 pg/mL, respectively. Concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-10 were minimal, with means of 6.7 ± 7.0 pg/mL and 4.8 ± 5.1 pg/mL, respectively. Regression analysis revealed a significant inverse association between 25(OH)D and TNF-α concentrations (R2 = 56.5, P<0.001) but not between 25(OH)D and the remaining cytokines, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 (P = 0.477, 0.694, and 0.673, respectively). Conclusion: These results call further attention to the epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency, even in outdoor athletes, and support a possible link between decreased vitamin D status and one particular marker of inflammation. Future investigations are necessary to determine whether increased inflammation in athletes with reduced vitamin D status could increase risk for inflammation-related injury.
- Subjects
RUNNERS (Sports); VITAMIN D; BIOMARKERS; INFLAMMATION; CYTOKINES
- Publication
Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 2012, Vol 3, p35
- ISSN
1179-1543
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2147/OAJSM.S31022