Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Increasing Bone Osteoblastic Activity in Conscript Soldiers during Military Training Course

 Despite the great importance of bone health in military training course, there is a dearth of research in this regard.

 The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on increasing bone osteoblastic activity in conscript soldiers during the military training course in one of the army training barracks of the IRI Army in 1400.

 This quasi-experimental before-and-after study was conducted on 60 soldiers who were randomly divided into two groups of 30, including the intervention and control groups. At the beginning of the training course, the soldiers of the intervention group were given a single dose oral supplement of 50,000 units of vitamin D. Soldiers were followed up for 40 days. Serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, bone alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin were measured before and after the training course.

 Before the training course, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of calcium (P=0.839), phosphorus (P=0.681), vitamin D (P=0.256), bone ALP (P=0.481), and osteocalcin (P=0.455). However, after the end of the course, the amount of vitamin D (P=0.034) and osteocalcin (P=0.003) was significantly higher in the intervention group, compared to the control group. In addition, the level of vitamin D (P=0.003) increased significantly in the intervention group at the end of the study.

 At the end of this course, the level of osteocalcin in both groups increased, compared to the time before the treatment. This indicates that the physical activities in this training course do not have a destructive effect on the bones. This increase was higher in the group that received vitamin D supplements, showing the importance of proper nutrition and the use of supplements.