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Changes in vitamin D status of female Soldiers during basic combat training
Author(s) -
Andersen Nancy Ellen,
Karl J. Philip,
Diaz Jennifer E,
Cable Sonya J,
Williams Kelly W,
Rood Jennifer C,
Young Andrew J,
Lieberman Harris R,
McClung James P
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.917.5
Subject(s) - vitamin d and neurology , parathyroid hormone , medicine , vitamin d deficiency , population , endocrinology , vitamin , longitudinal study , ethnic group , affect (linguistics) , physiology , gerontology , calcium , psychology , environmental health , communication , pathology , sociology , anthropology
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for maintaining bone health. Recent data suggest that changes in vitamin D status might influence stress fracture prevalence. Although stress fracture is considered a health risk for Soldiers undergoing military training, no study has documented vitamin D status in that population. This longitudinal study aimed to determine the effects of basic combat training (BCT) on 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in female Soldiers. Serum 25(OH)D and PTH were measured in 74 fasted Soldier volunteers before and after a 9 wk BCT course between August and October in Columbia, SC. In the total study population, 25(OH)D levels decreased (72.9 ± 30.0 vs 63.3 ± 19.8 nmol/L, p<0.05) and PTH levels increased ([mean ± SD] 36.2 ± 15.8 vs 47.5 ± 21.2 pg/mL, p<0.05) during BCT. Ethnicity affected changes in vitamin D status (group‐by‐time interaction, p<0.05); 25(OH)D decreased by 10 ± 27% (89.23 ± 29.3 vs 74.87 ± 17.0, p<0.05) in non‐Hispanic whites, 15 ± 18% (74.07 ± 15.1 vs 63.27 ± 14.2, p<0.05) in Hispanic whites, but did not change in non‐Hispanic blacks. Ethnicity did not affect BCT‐induced changes in PTH. These data indicate that vitamin D status in female Soldiers may decline during military training. Future studies should ascertain whether this decline affects bone health. Research supported by MRMC.