-
Vitamin D and athletic performance
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is well known for its role in bone health. Other roles include muscular and immune function, hence the interest for studying vitamin D and athletic performance. What is vitamin D Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin (1). The active form of vitamin D is 1,25-dihydroxycholecaciferol (a.k.a. 1,25-dihydroxivitamin D) (2, 3), which interacts with vitamin D receptors (VDRs) (1). Sources of vitamin D Most of the vitamin D we get (80-90%, 4) is synthesised in our bodies from 7-dehydrocholesterol (2) after exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sun (2, 4). The remaining 10-20% is obtained from the diet (4). Sunshine The actual amount…
-
Cod liver
I eat funky stuff. I’m Peruvian, so it’s normal for me to eat guinea pig, heart and tripe (although I no longer like the latter). I also grew up eating liver and I love it. Liver is one of the true nature’s super foods. It’s rich in several vitamins (most importantly A and D), and minerals like iron. We’re talking about a mammal’s liver here. Fish liver, particularly cod liver has the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids, which among other things help to reduce inflammation. Cod liver oil has been regarded as a healthy supplement for ages, but unfortunately people stopped taking it and replaced it with supplements that…
