HEALTH

ON THE PULSE

AMP UP
YOUR POWER.
BY GEORGE L. REDMON, PhD, ND

Over the last decade researchers have dis­

covered a definitive link to a deficiency of
vitamin D as a causative factor in the devel­
opment of cancer, and a host of bone and
skeletal matrix disorders such as osteoporo­
sis and osteomalacia. There is also an abun­
dance of emerging research concerning the
positive impact vitamin D has on improving
body composition and muscle performance
of obese individuals engaged in resistance
training, as well as improving joint and mus­
culoskeletal pain of cancer patients. These
observations have prompted sports medicine
researchers to examine the effects of vitamin
D deficiency in anaerobic strength training
and muscle performance.

Recently researchers at Newcastle Uni­

versity in England reported that vitamin
D-, (cholecalciferol) improved the size and
strength of muscle fibers through its impact
on what they refer to as phosphocreatine re­
covery kinetics. As a point of reference here,
vitamin D- is the biologically active form
of D that our bodies convert to form
25-hydroxyvitamin I), from ultravio­
let sun rays via our skin. Vitamin D-2
(ergocalciferol) is: found in plants and
is the source of D in fortified milk prod­
ucts. This form appears to be less active
in human tissue. The phosphocreatine
recovery kinetics process drives the
manufacture and replenishment of ATP
(adenosine triphosphate), the main
cellular energy molecule that regulates
a bioenergetic protocol known as mito­
chondrial oxidative phosphorylation.
Mitochondria cells can be described as
the batteries or power stations within
the muscle. Not only is ATP the primary
energy molecule that activates muscle
contractions, it fuels every metabolic
process that sustains life. However, this
is one battery that must be recharged
continuously—24 hours a day, every
day, every second without interruption.
And here is where the problem lies;
as ATP is replenished, its powerful
combustion happens within seconds
and vanishes.
For individuals engaged in resistance
training, ATP is the first energy source
the muscle seeks out serving as the jack
hammer generating anaerobic (without
oxygen) power during short, strong
bursts of activity—especially muscle
contraction. As ATP energy molecules
are replenished by creatine phosphate,
glucose continues to generate new ATP.
Nonetheless, this recalibration and up­
loading of ATP must occur within sec­
onds. Conversely, rapid replenishment
of phosphocreatine is considered a bio­
marker following muscle contraction as
a definitive indicator of improved mito­
chondrial efficiency. Researchers in the
Newcastle study, appearing in the March
2013 edition of the Journal o f C linical
E n docrinology & M etabolism , reported
that subjects deficient in vitamin D,
when administered this supplement for
12 weeks, had significant reduction in
phosphocreatine turnover and recovery
time. They found improvement in the
end power of ATP to its regeneration
via the biochemical activation of the
phosphocreatine phosphorylation cas­
cade from 34.4 seconds to 27.8 seconds.
In the biochemical world this is nothing
short of magnificent. And all of the par­
ticipants in this study showed marked
improvement—not as a group, but each
individual participant.
Furthermore, in a related study,
the American Orthopaedic Society for
Sports Medicine has reported that vi­
tamin D plays a key role in minimizing
the occurrence of common musculo­
skeletal injuries seen in athletic endeav­
ors, especially within the National Foot­
ball League ( NFL).
L—&,rihr WoVC/S
From these findings researchers have
concluded that vitamin D can have a
positive effect on improving resistance
training output, muscle recovery, repair
and protection. Vitamin D appears to
reduce the incidence of muscle damage
seen amongst individuals engaged in
other athletic endeavors, as well as pa­
tients recovering from illness and my­
opathy (diseases of muscle tissues). Out
of all the supplements you have taken
MAY/JUNE 2015 A M E R I C A N F IT N E S S
and do take, this may be one of the easi­
est, safest, most effective and inexpen­
sive ways to “D”-fend your hard-earned
muscle tissue against injury. AF
Suggested Dose: 800 to 2,000 IU (Inter­
national Units) daily.
GEORGE L. REDMON, PhD, ND,
specializes in vitamins and holistic healthcare
within the vitamin and natural healthcare
industry. He has served as a Regional and
N ational Education Director fo r one o f the
largest retailers o f vitam ins in the Unit­
ed States. Dr. Redm on is a popular guest
on m any syndicated radio health pro­
grams and his articles have appeared in
numerous magazines.
REFERENCES:
AMERICAN ORTHOPAEDIC SOCIETY FOR SPORTS MEDI­
CINE. (JUL 11, 2 01 1) "VITAM IN D LOWER IN NFL
FOOTBALL PLAYERS W H O SUFFERED MUSCLE INJU­
RIES, STUDY SUGGESTS." SCIENCEDAILY® AT W W W .
SCIENCEDAILY.COM (ACCESSED OCT 8, 2014).
ARMAS, L.A., HOLLIS, B.W. A N D HEANEY, R.P. "VITAMIN
D2 IS LESS EFFECTIVE TH A N VITAM IN D3 IN HU­
M A N S ." JOURNAL O F CLINICAL ENDO CRINO LO GY
& METABOLISM, 8 9, N O . 11 (N O V 2004): 5 8 7 -9 1 .
BOUILLION, R. A N D VEUSTUF, A . "V ITA M IN D M ITO ­
CHO NDRIA A N D MUSCLE." JOURNAL O F CLINICAL
ENDO CRINO LO GY & METABOLISM, 9 8, N O . 3 (MAR
2013): 961 -6 3.
CARRILLO, A .E ., ET AL. "IMPACT OF VITAM IN D SUP­
PLEMENTATION DURING RESISTANCE TRAINING
INTERVENTION O N BODY CO M PO SITIO N, MUSCLE
FUNCTION A N D GLUCOSE TOLERANCE IN OVER­
W EIG HT A N D OBESE ADULTS." CLINICAL NUTRI­
TION, 3 2, N O . 3 (JUN 2 01 3): 3 7 5 -8 1 .
SINHA, A ., ET AL. "IM PRO VING THE VITAM IN STATUS OF
VITAM IN D DEFICIENT ADULTS IS ASSOCIATED WITH
IMPROVED M ITOCHONDRIAL OXIDATIVE FUNCTION
IN SKELETAL MUSCLE." JOURNAL O F CLINICAL E N D O ­
CRINO LO GY & METABOLISM, 9 8 , N O . 3 (MAR 2013):
E509-13.
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