MMA Diet: Vitamin D

Vitamin D is emerging well-beyond its original “bone vitamin” status. It’s now viewed as the vitamin we all need to make conscious steps to get more of. Actually, reports in nearly every health magazine and university are touting its benefits - from large things like a decreased risk of cancer, depression and inflammatory diseases to the smaller things like stronger fingernails, skin and gums. In fact, many see vitamin D as one way to help our country’s debt and healthcare problems - it makes sense. Here we have a vitamin with a host of health benefits, that we can get either naturally through sun exposure, or supplementally through pills that cost just a few dollars a month and can be picked up at anywhere from mom-and-pop health stores to Wal-Mart.

After something proves positive in the general population, generally athletes are next in line. This is where vitamin D stands. For the past three years or so research on vitamin D within the field of sport has intensified and is looking equally positive. Look, in this writer’s opinion, you should be taking vitamin D just as a person in the world. But, if you’re an athlete and you need a few more specific reasons to pop a pill or step out into the sun, well, here goes:

Deficiency:

Of course, vitamin D is renowned for its role in musculoskeletal health. As MMA athletes train explosively - box jumps, bounding and nearly every other forceful movement - bones are being pounded together. This can help create bone density, which is a good thing, but it can also lead to stress fractures both large and small. Not to mention the fractures caused from the fights themselves. Vitamin D can reduce the chances of this (and thus time away from training) and help improve recovery time when a fracture does occur. Lastly, because much of our training and work in general takes place inside buildings these days, it means it’s ultra-important to get enough vitamin D. Some suggest at least 1,000-2,000 IU daily, or at least 10-15 minutes per day of sun exposure to large areas of skin. Those with darker skin pigmentation should shoot for the upper range of this level.

Straight-up Performance:

Several studies have examined and found positive correlations between higher levels of vitamin D intake (by “higher” I mean above the low baseline needed to prevent rickets) and increasing both the percentage of and size of Type II muscle fibers. These are the “fast twitch” fibers and are essentially what athletes are hoping to recruit in their quest to become “more explosive and powerful.” Other studies linked higher vitamin D levels to improvements in balance and reaction time. More studies will need to be conducted, but this is huge news in the field of human strength & conditioning. That something so readily available and affordable can have such a profound impact on athletes is almost crazy to think about - especially considering all the wild and expensive concoctions athletes take in order to gain that competitive edge.

Other Ways to Get Vitamin D:

Many products like milk and cereals are fortified with a synthetic form of vitamin D, but here are some healthy foods that contain a fair amount naturally:

- Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Sardines, Mackerel, Catfish, etc.)

- Shiitake Mushrooms (especially dried)

- Eggs (not nearly as much as the above two, but a decent amount)

Somewhat-Related Side-Note:

Competitive bodybuilders hit the tanning beds or the beaches or the lotion in order to darken their skin before they hit the stage. Fact is, under the bright lights, tanned and/or darker skin can make an athlete’s muscular definition truly stand out. Shadows cast inside the cuts and muscles appear to bulge even more. Especially when bodybuilders are then oiled and sweaty - this highlights the definition even more. I say this because while getting some sun could regulate your hormones and cause many of the other positive benefits mentioned above, it could also darken the tone of your skin a bit - and this could provide a slight psychological edge when entering the cage. MMA is a sport where every edge - be it psychological or physical - matters greatly. And there’s something, perhaps even subconscious intimidation, which could kick in when a fighter looks across and sees that their opponent is lean and muscled.

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