Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations Are Inversely Correlated with Hepatic Lipid Content in Male Collegiate Football Athletes

Abstract

Lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations are associated with more weight and fat mass gain in adults in the general population, but it is unknown whether this is the case in collegiate football athletes with greater body weight. This study aimed to investigate associations of serum 25(OH)D concentrations with body fat and ectopic fat accumulation, and to determine which fat indicators are closely related to serum 25(OH)D in male collegiate football athletes. Thirty-four collegiate athletes aged 21 years were recruited. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations and the levels of visceral fat area (VFA), vastus lateralis intramyocellular lipid (IMCL), extramyocellular lipid (EMCL), and intrahepatic lipid (IHCL) were measured. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were negatively associated with the IHCL values (r = −0.372, p = 0.030), and the relationship remained after adjustment for several factors (r = −0.378, p = 0.047). Additionally, multiple stepwise regression analysis of IHCL content as the dependent variable indicated that 25(OH)D concentrations were a stronger predictor of IHCL content (β = −0.363, p = 0.030) than % body fat and VO2peakFFM. Higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations are more closely related to lower IHCL content rather than any other fat indicators, suggesting that increasing serum 25(OH)D concentrations may have some effect that inhibits lipid accumulation in hepatic tissue, especially in heavy athletes.

Five-Year Surveillance of Vitamin D Levels in NCAA Division I Football Players: Risk Factors for Failed Supplementation

“…42 Additional evidence is necessary to determine if vitamin D deficiency in elite football players (including collegiate athletes and National Football League players) affects the injury rate or athletic performance. 7,22,23,29 As mentioned before, Sun et al 35,36 found a correlation between vitamin D insufficiency and abnormal glucose homeostasis and changes in the hepatic lipid content in male collegiate football players. It has been reported that circulating 25(OH)D concentrations are negatively associated with fasting glucose concentration in young adults but also inversely correlated with the concentrations of 1hour glucose, 2-hour glucose after oral glucose tolerance, the increments of the glucose area under the curve, and the increments of the insulin area under the curve.…”

“…21 Another research group reported a higher prevalence of lower extremity muscle strains and core strains in National Football League players with abnormal vitamin D levels in serum. 35,36 We suspect that the athlete's body composition and other factors, such as the training conditions, frequency of travel, hormonal changes, or dietary habits, might be implicated in metabolism of vitamin D in football players, but this is subject to further investigation.…”

“…30 Previous studies in high-level athletes showed an association between vitamin D insufficiency and increased risk of stress fractures, hormonal imbalance (testosterone, cortisol, and parathyroid hormone), infection, and elevated blood pressure. 4,5,8,11,26,35,36,40 In collegiate football players, an association was found between vitamin D insufficiency and inability to maintain glucose homeostasis, and the same authors reported an inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and hepatic lipid content in these athletes. 35,36 Rebolledo et al 29 found an association between low vitamin D levels and history of lower extremity and core muscle injury in National Football League players.…”

Effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on lipid droplet growth in adipocytes

“…Based on the above analysis, the UCP‐1 elevation suggests that lipids may be used for decomposition and heat production, rather than being mainly released extracellularly, a view that has also been discussed in other studies 47 . A large number of human and animal studies have proved that serum vitamin D level is negatively correlated with fat deposition in surrounding tissues and organs and vitamin D supplementation contributes to the improvement of visceral fat deposition 48–51 . In addition to fatty ectopic deposition, the mass decomposition of fatty acids may also lead to the production of a large number of oxidative by‐products of fatty acids, especially reactive oxygen species, which can disrupt the REDOX balance of cells, cause oxidative stress damage to cells, change cell membrane components, and destroy the normal function of organelles.…”

Different Vitamin D Supplementation Strategies in the First Years of Life: A Systematic Review

“…In fact, both food absorption and cutaneous synthesis have been found to be linked to different quantities of adipose tissue [ 11 ]. This evidence could be related to the altered bioavailability of liposoluble vitamins in subjects with higher fat mass or high hepatic lipid content, which has been shown to be inversely correlated with VD serum concentrations [ 12 ].…”