Higher Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations Associate with a Faster Recovery of Skeletal Muscle Strength after Muscular Injury

The primary purpose of this study was to identify if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) concentrations predict muscular weakness after intense exercise. We hypothesized that pre-exercise serum 25(OH) D concentrations inversely predict exercise-induced muscular weakness. Fourteen recreationally active adults participated in this study. Each subject had one leg randomly assigned as a control. The other leg performed an intense exercise protocol. Single-leg peak isometric force and blood 25(OH) D, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, albumin, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and interleukin-4 were measured prior to and following intense exercise. Following exercise, serum 25(OH) D concentrations increased (p < 0.05) immediately, but within minutes, subsequently decreased (p < 0.05). Circulating albumin increases predicted (p < 0.005) serum 25(OH) D increases, while IFN-gamma increases predicted (p < 0.001) serum 25(OH) D decreases. Muscular weakness persisted within the exercise leg (p < 0.05) and compared to the control leg (p < 0.05) after the exercise protocol. Serum 25(OH) D concentrations inversely predicted (p < 0.05) muscular weakness (i.e., control leg vs. exercise leg peak isometric force) immediately and days (i.e., 48-h and 72-h) after exercise, suggesting the attenuation of exercise-induced muscular weakness with increasing serum 25(OH) D prior to exercise. Based on these data, we conclude that pre-exercise serum 25(OH) D concentrations could influence the recovery of skeletal muscle strength after an acute bout of intense exercise.