Does taking vitamin D make you stronger when you lift weights?
Vitamin D supplementation does not enhance resistance training-induced gains in muscle strength and lean body mass in vitamin D deficient young men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The placebo group had greater strength gains in chest press and seated row than the vitamin D group.
Everyone assumed vitamin D would enhance strength—this study found the opposite in two major lifts, despite identical training and nutrition. This contradicts prior observational studies linking vitamin D to muscle function.
Practical Takeaways
If you're vitamin D deficient, supplementing to reach sufficient levels (140+ nmol/L) may help reduce belly fat—but don’t expect it to make you stronger in the gym.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The placebo group had greater strength gains in chest press and seated row than the vitamin D group.
Everyone assumed vitamin D would enhance strength—this study found the opposite in two major lifts, despite identical training and nutrition. This contradicts prior observational studies linking vitamin D to muscle function.
Practical Takeaways
If you're vitamin D deficient, supplementing to reach sufficient levels (140+ nmol/L) may help reduce belly fat—but don’t expect it to make you stronger in the gym.
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Year
2021
Authors
Lauri Savolainen, S. Timpmann, Martin Mooses, Evelin Mäestu, L. Medijainen, Lisette Tõnutare, Frederik Ross, Märt Lellsaar, E. Unt, V. Ööpik
Related Content
Claims (6)
Having more vitamin D in your body might help you build more muscle and store less fat, directing your body’s energy toward making lean tissue instead.
If you're a young man with low vitamin D and you lift weights, your muscles will get stronger and you'll gain more muscle mass—even if you don't take vitamin D pills.
Taking a high-dose vitamin D pill every day for three months won't help young men who are low on vitamin D build more muscle or gain more lean body mass from weight training, even though their vitamin D levels go up to normal.
If young men who don’t have enough vitamin D take a high-dose vitamin D pill every day for 12 weeks while working out, they lose belly fat — but if they take a fake pill instead, their belly fat doesn’t change.
Taking a daily vitamin D pill of 8000 IU for 3 months can boost vitamin D levels in young men from dangerously low to healthy levels, while those who take a fake pill (placebo) stay low.