Five-Year Surveillance of Vitamin D Levels in NCAA Division I Football Players: Risk Factors for Failed Supplementation.

BACKGROUND

Monitoring vitamin D levels in athletes and determining their response to supplementation in cases of deficiency is thought to be necessary to modulate the risks associated with vitamin D deficiency.

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

To report the results of a 5-year-long surveillance program of vitamin D in the serum of football players on a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I team and to examine whether factors including age, body mass index (BMI), race, position played, and supplement type would affect the response to 12-month oral vitamin D replacement therapy in athletes with deficiency. We hypothesized that yearly measurements would decrease the proportion of athletes with vitamin D insufficiency over the years and that the aforementioned factors would affect the response to the supplementation therapy.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

We measured serum 25(OH)D levels (25-hydroxyvitamin D) in 272 NCAA Division I football players from our institution annually between 2012 and 2017. Athletes with insufficient vitamin D levels (<32 ng/mL) received supplementation with vitamin D3 alone or combined vitamin D3/D2. The percentage of insufficient cases between the first 2 years and last 2 years of the program was compared, and yearly team averages of vitamin D levels were calculated. Associations between player parameters (age, BMI, race, team position, supplement type) and failed supplementation were evaluated.

RESULTS

The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency decreased significantly during the study period, from 55.5% in 2012-2013 to 30.7% in 2016-2017 (

CONCLUSION

To decrease the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in football players, serum vitamin D measurements should be performed at least once a year, and oral supplementation therapy should be provided in cases of deficiency. Black players might be at increased risk of vitamin D insufficiency. Oral vitamin D3 may be more effective in restoring vitamin D levels than combined vitamin D3/D2 therapy.

Informations de copyright

© The Author(s) 2021.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: A.E.W. has received educational support from Arthrex, nonconsulting fees from Arthrex, and hospitality payments from Stryker. J.E.T. has received educational support from Arthrex and Micromed, nonconsulting fees from Arthrex and Pacira Pharmaceuticals, and royalties from Arthrex. S.C.G. has received educational support from Arthrex, consulting fees from Zimmer Biomet, and nonconsulting fees from Arthrex. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.