Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (Dec 2010)

Vitamin D status in female military personnel during combat training

  • Young Andrew J,
  • Rood Jennifer C,
  • Williams Kelly W,
  • Cable Sonya J,
  • Karl J Philip,
  • Andersen Nancy E,
  • Lieberman Harris R,
  • McClung James P

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-7-38
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
p. 38

Abstract

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Abstract Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for maintaining bone health. Recent data suggest that vitamin D and calcium supplementation might affect stress fracture incidence in military personnel. Although stress fracture is a health risk for military personnel during training, no study has investigated changes in vitamin D status in Soldiers during United States (US) Army basic combat training (BCT). This longitudinal study aimed to determine the effects of BCT on 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in female Soldiers. Serum 25(OH)D and PTH were assessed in 74 fasted Soldier volunteers before and after an 8-week BCT course conducted between August and October in Columbia, South Carolina. In the total study population, 25(OH)D levels decreased (mean ± SD) from 72.9 ± 30.0 to 63.3 ± 19.8 nmol/L (P P P P