Vitamin D levels in the blood are linked to cardiorespiratory fitness

Research has found that vitamin D levels in the blood are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. In the study, which was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers evaluated the link between vitamin D levels and cardiorespiratory fitness in a representative sample of the U.S. population using data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 2001 to 2004.

• The researchers, who were from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, decided to conduct the study because the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and cardiorespiratory fitness is still unclear.
• For the study, researchers included participants aged between 20 and 49 years and excluded those with vitamin D levels at the five percent extremes of the distribution.
• A total of 1,995 participants were included in the study.
• They assessed the relationship between maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and vitamin D levels using survey-weighted linear regression without and with adjustment for age, sex, race, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, C-reactive protein, hemoglobin, and glomerular filtration rate.
• Results revealed that participants in the highest quartile of vitamin D levels had a significantly higher cardiorespiratory fitness than participants in the lowest quartile.
• Even after the researchers adjusted for other factors that may influence the cardiorespiratory fitness, the difference between the highest and lowest vitamin D quartiles remained significant.
• In unadjusted and adjusted linear regression, every 10 nanomoles per liter (nmol/l) increase in vitamin D level was linked to a significant increase in VO2 max.

Based on the findings of the study, the researchers concluded that vitamin D levels in the blood are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness.

To read more studies on the importance of vitamin D to the body, visit VitaminD.news.

Journal Reference:

Marawan A, Kurbanova N, Qayyum R. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS IN THE ADULT POPULATION OF THE USA. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 30 October 2018. DOI: 10.1177/2047487318807279