Vitamin D2 Supplementation Worsens Muscle Damage From Heavy Lifting

Research conducted at a North Carolina university found that “power athletes” – intense weight lifters and auto racing pit crews, for example –  would be better off staying away from vitamin D2 supplements. The study was conducted among NASCAR pit crew athletes, half of whom consumed 3,800 international units (IU) a day of a plant-based vitamin D2, the other half a placebo. The researchers thought taking vitamin D2 would reduce inflammation and speed recovery of muscle damage from heavy lifting. Instead, the supplement increased exercise-induced muscle damage in the pit crew athletes.