Effect of an Acute Bout of Endurance Exercise on Serum 25(OH)D Concentrations in Young Adults.

CONTEXT

Regular exercise or high physical activity levels are associated with higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations; however, the effect of acute exercise on serum 25(OH)D concentrations remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to clarify whether acute endurance exercise has a direct effect on the circulating 25(OH)D concentrations in young adults.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Exercise intervention trial in an institutional practice.

PATIENTS

Twenty young, active adults (males, n = 10; females, n = 10).

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were asked to perform a cycling exercise for 30 minutes at 70% maximal oxygen uptake.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The serum concentrations of 25(OH)D and other blood parameters were assessed before exercise and at 0, 0.5, 1, 3, and 24 hours after exercise.

RESULTS

The serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly increased not only at 0 (P < 0.01), 1 (P < 0.05), and 3 hours (P < 0.01) after exercise, but they were also increased at 24 hours (P < 0.05) after acute endurance exercise in young adults. A significant sex × time interaction effect was observed (P < 0.05), and the incremental areas under the curve for the 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly higher in men than in the women (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a direct effect of endurance exercise on serum 25(OH)D concentrations. In addition, sex disparity was observed in the serum 25(OH)D response to acute endurance exercise, and the increase in 25(OH)D concentrations was greater in men than in women.