The Relationship Between Vitamin D Levels, Fat Percentage and Athletic Performance in Trained Males

 Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D play an essential role in regulating the function of athletes' skeletal muscles. However, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels, fat percentage and athletic performance of trained male athletes.

30 athletes of different endurance, strength and power sports with average age of 23.03 ± 3.45 years, height 172.96 ± 4.14 meters, weight 67.33 ± 5.65 kg and body mass index (BMI) 22.81 ± 2.28 kg / m2, after measuring anthropometric indices, 5 cc of venous blood fasting samples were taken to measure vitamin D3 levels. Then, to measure the aerobic power of athletes, shuttle thigh test, lower and upper muscle strength were used, chest press and leg press tests, hand grip test, hand strength test and vertical jump test were used. Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D3 levels with aerobic power, strength and muscle power.

 There was a direct and significant relationship between vitamin D3 levels with aerobic power, lower and upper limb muscle strength, hand grip strength and muscle strength of athletes and inverse relationship between vitamin D3 levels with fat percentage in athletes.

 Based on the results, it can be said that high levels of vitamin D in trained athletes have a significant relationship with their physical function, so that high levels can improve performance in trained athletes.