Vitamin D supplementation and musculoskeletal injury risk in young men undergoing arduous training: a randomised placebo-controlled trial

Carswell, Alexander T., Swinton, Paul, O’leary, Thomas J., Jackson, Sarah, Tang, Jonathan C. Y., Oliver, Samuel J., Wentz, Laurel M., Izard, Rachel M., Taylor, Natalie, Allan, Donald, Rhodes, Lesley E., Walsh, Neil P., Fraser, William D. and Greeves, Julie P. (2026) Vitamin D supplementation and musculoskeletal injury risk in young men undergoing arduous training: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition. pp. 1-33. ISSN 0007-1145

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Abstract

In 250 men (21.4 ± 2.9 years; BMI 24.2 ± 3.0 kg∙m-2) commencing arduous military training during winter, we investigated the effect of 12 weeks vitamin D supplementation on lower body (pelvic girdle, sacrum, coccyx, and lower limb) overuse musculoskeletal injury risk in a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Participants received either simulated sunlight (1.3× standard erythemal dose in T-shirt and shorts, three times per week for 4 weeks and then once per week for 8 weeks), oral vitamin D3 (1000 IU∙d-1 for 4 weeks and then 400 IU∙d-1 for 8 weeks), or placebo for each intervention. Serum vitamin D metabolites and bone metabolism biomarkers were measured at baseline, week 5, and 12. At baseline, 29% of participants were vitamin D sufficient (25-hydroxyvitamin D ≥50 nmol∙L-1). Vitamin D supplementation achieved vitamin D sufficiency in 95% of participants after 4 weeks. During 6 months of training and subsequent 3 years of military service, 100 lower body overuse musculoskeletal injuries were diagnosed by clinicians. Frailty models indicated no difference in injury risk between vitamin D and placebo during military training (HRplacebo:vitamin D = 1.23 [95% CI: 0.57–2.66], P = 0.597) or military service (HRplacebo:vitamin D = 0.94 [95% CI: 0.60–1.46], P = 0.782). Both safe simulated sunlight and oral vitamin D3 were effective in achieving and maintaining vitamin D sufficiency in almost all. There was no clear evidence for vitamin D to affect the risk of lower body overuse musculoskeletal injury during 6 months of military training or subsequent 3 years of military service.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Data availability: The data that support the findings of the study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author pending approval from the UK Ministry of Defence.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	bone,exercise,muscle,nutrition,simulated sunlight
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Related URLs:	https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/i...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	15 Apr 2026 16:35
Last Modified:	15 Apr 2026 16:35
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/102785
DOI:	10.1017/S0007114526107107

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