@article{ref1,
title="High prevalence of vitamin d insufficiency in athletes and dancers",
journal="Clinical journal of sport medicine",
year="2010",
author="Constantini, Naama W. and Arieli, Rakefet and Chodick, Gabriel and Dubnov-Raz, Gal",
volume="20",
number="5",
pages="368-371",
abstract="OBJECTIVE:: Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent in various populations worldwide but with scarce data on physically active individuals. Vitamin D is important to athletes, affecting bone mass, immunity, and physical performance. This study evaluated the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency among young athletes and dancers. DESIGN:: Cross-sectional study. SETTING:: Sport medicine clinic. PATIENTS:: Data on 98 athletes and dancers (age, 14.7 +/- 3.0 years; range, 10-30 years; 53% men), who had undergone screening medical evaluations, were extracted from medical records. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE:: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations, age, sex, sport discipline, month of blood test, and serum ferritin. Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D concentration <30 ng/mL. RESULTS:: Mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 25.3 +/- 8.3 ng/mL. Seventy-three percent of participants were vitamin D insufficient. Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was higher among dancers (94%), basketball players (94%), and Tae Kwon Do fighters (67%) and among athletes from indoor versus outdoor sports (80% vs 48%; P = 0.002). 25(OH)D levels adjusted for age and sex correlated with serum ferritin and season. CONCLUSIONS:: In this study, conducted among young athletes and dancers from various disciplines in a sunny country, a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was identified. A higher rate of vitamin D insufficiency was found among participants who practice indoors, during the winter months, and in the presence of iron depletion. Given the importance of vitamin D to athletes for several reasons, we suggest that athletes and dancers be screened for vitamin D insufficiency and treated as needed.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1050-642X",
doi="10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181f207f2",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181f207f2"
}