VITAMIN D STATUS AND (V) over dot O2 PEAK DURING A SKATE TREADMILL GRADED EXERCISE TEST IN COMPETITIVE ICE HOCKEY PLAYERS

Fitzgerald, JS, Peterson, BJ, Warpeha, JM, Wilson, PB, Rhodes, GS, and Ingraham, SJ. Vitamin D status and (V) over dot o(2)peak during a skate treadmill graded exercise test in competitive ice hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 28(11): 3205-3210, 2014Vitamin D status has been associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in cross-sectional investigations in the general population. Data characterizing the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and CRF in athletes are lacking. Junior and collegiate ice hockey players were recruited from the Minneapolis, MN (44.9 degrees N), area during the off-season period (May 16-June 28). The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional association between 25(OH)D concentration and CRF in a sample population of competitive ice hockey players. Circulating 25(OH)D level was assessed from a capillary blood sample analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. V.o(2)peak during a skate treadmill graded exercise test (GXT) was used to assess CRF. Data on both 25(OH)D concentration and V.o(2)peak were available for 52 athletes. Insufficient 25(OH)D concentrations were found in 37.7% of the athletes (<32 ngml(-1)). Vitamin D status was not significantly associated with any physiological or physical parameter during the skate treadmill GXT.