Recently, a study suggests that we can take supplements of vitamin D in order to increase performance in sports.
More importantly, vitamin D in supplement form may reduce the risk of heart disease.
researchers from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh to present the study to the annual conference of the Society for Endocrinology.
Vitamin D is produced in the body by exposure to ultraviolet B rays from the sun.But vitamin D also can be obtained through diet or supplements.The source of this vitamin for example derived from fish oil and eggs, but it would be difficult to get vitamin D only when dieting.
In the body, vitamin D helps control calcium and phosphate levels in the blood and plays a vital role in the formation of bones and teeth, The researchers of the new study, led by Dr. Emad Al-Dujaili, said previous studies have shown that vitamin D can block the action of an enzyme called 11-βHSD1, which helps in making the stress hormone cortisol.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers gave each of 13 healthy adults 50 mg of vitamin D per day, and the others received a placebo for a period of 2 weeks.Placebos are inactive substances or drugs that look the same and are given in the same manner as active drug or treatment being tested.
After 2 weeks, the results showed that the study subjects who received vitamin D supplements had lower blood pressure and lower levels of cortisol.They are measured by urine tests, compared to subjects given placebo.
Because vitamin D can lower levels of cortisol in the body, the researchers theorized that it could improve performance during exercise and reduce risk factors for cardiovascular problems.