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Bright Light Exposure Improves Your Workouts Sign. (~8%)

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Would be interesting to compare sunlight and artificial light in future studies. You will remember the circadian rhythm series in which I have previously discussed the relevance of light exposure as a means to set, reset and entrain your internal clock in order to reap all sorts of health and performance benefits. Bright (>4000 lux), preferable blue (at least having a blue component) light has repeatedly been shown to increase athletic performance. Studies like Kantermann et al. (2012) show, however, that the efficacy of bright light exposure significantly depends on the chronotype of an athlete. Learn more about the health effects of correct / messed up  circadian rhythms Sunlight, Bluelight, Backlight and Your Clock Sunlight a La Carte: "Hack" Your Rhythm Breaking the Fast to Synchronize the Clock Fasting (Re-)Sets the Peripheral Clock Vitamin A & Caffeine Set the Clock Pre-Workout Supps Could Ruin Your Sleep In said study, the athletes ...
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Lack of Sun Exposure & Type II Diabetes - Contemporary Evidence Suggests: There is a Link!

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"No sun, no diabesity protection." The evidence is equivocal and the number of studies low, but there is evidence that this statement could be true. Ok, it's November and not exactly sunny in the Northern hemisphere, but if you look back at the months June-August, how much sun exposure did you actually get, this year? Hardly any? Well, that's bad news, because a recent review of the scant scientific evidence suggests that there is "a role of recreational sun exposure in reducing odds of T2DM incidence" (Shore-Lorenti. 2014). In view of the fact that the contemporarily available evidence is not exactly comprehensive, you should yet consider the following overview of the potential effects and mechanism as a "work in progress". The effects on circadian rhythm could be behind the Sun's anti-cancer effects Sunlight, Bluelight, Backlight and Your Clock Sunlight a La Carte: "Hack" Your Rhythm Breaking the Fast to Synchro...
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Fat From Serotonin, MS Despite Vitamin D, DHA & DPA in Your Cell Walls. Weightloss Obstacle Late Lunch?

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Yet another reason why calorie counting is not good for your sanity: The "average" sexual intercourse burns only 14 kcal more than watching TV.  and significantly less than a fast paced walk on the inclined treadmill. Luckily weight loss & maintenance is more complex than calories in vs. out, anyway ;-) "14" that's the SuppVersity figure of the number of extra calories you will expend when you and your significant other decide to have sex instead of sitting on the couch watching TV tonight. I got that figure from a paper my buddy Sean Casey from CasePerformance has brought to my attention. Published in the latest issue of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (Casazza. 2013), it discusses the 7 most commonly held "false and scientifically unsupported beliefs about obesity" the scientists identified in a thorough analysis of popular media and scientific literature. "The scientific community needs some more honesty" Whi...
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Prepare for the Winter: Get your Supply of Vitamin D Supplements

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Figure 1: In Great Britain Vitamin D3 supplementation appears indicated at least in the winter month A recent study by researchers ( Webb. 2010 ) from the School of Earth Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester highlight the importance of maintaining "late-summer 25-OH(D3) levels" throughout the winter month. In their investigation among 125 white Caucasians aged 20-60 years in Greater Manchester they found: Dietary vitamin D remained low in all seasons (median 3.27 mug/day, range 2.76-4.15) while personal UV exposure levels were high in spring and summer, low in autumn and negligible in winter . Mean 25(OH)D levels were maximal in September (28.4 ng/mL; 28% optimal, zero deficient (< 5 ng/mL)), and minimal in February (18.3 ng/mL; 7% optimal, 5% deficient). A February 25(OH)D level of 20ng/mL was achieved following an average late summer level of 30.4 (25.6 to 35.2) and 34.9 (27.9 to 41.9) ng/mL in women and men, respecti...
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Vitamin D Deficiency in Athletes: Stress Fractures & Cancer

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A very recent investigation by Naama et.al. ( Naama. 2010 ) found that, even in the sun-blessed middle east, there exists a high prevalence of vitamin D defeciency in athletes and dancers. Out of the 98 athletes and dancers (age 14.7±3.0 yrs, range 10-30 yrs, 53% males) who participated in the study, 73% of participants were vitamin D insufficient, and 25% were vitamin D deficient (insufficiency was defined as a serum 25(OH)D level below 30 ng/mL and deficiency below 20 ng/ml). This leaves a very small margin of 2% with sufficient 25(OH)D levels. Although the scientists did not evaluate the individual dietary habits of the participants, the observed correlation of low ferritin (iron storage) levels with vitamin D status suggests a major dietary influence on 25(OH)D levels. This is in accordance with Naama's observation that there was no difference between athletes competing indoors and athletes who exercise outdoors. This strongly suggest that even with adequate sun exposur...
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Vitamin D Defiency Linked to Allergies

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There is hardly any "nutrient" (actually, vitamin D is rather a hormone, cf. Normann. 2008 ) that is so frequently investigated in contemporary nutrition and medical science as vitamin D. No wonder that almost every day studies suggest new beneficial effects of vitamin D on whatever medical condition you might imagine. The hypothesis of Vassallo and Carmargo, which is available online since 10 July 2010, is yet particularly interesting ( Vasallo & Carmargo. 2010 ). The scientists propose a “multiple-hit” model in which VDD [vitamin D deficiency] in a developmentally critical period increases susceptibility to colonization with abnormal intestinal microbial flora and gastrointestinal infections, contributing to abnormal intestinal barrier permeability and excess and inappropriate exposure of the immune system to dietary allergens . A compounding effect (and additional “hit”) of VDD is the promotion of a pro-sensitization immune imbalance that might compromise im...
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Vitamin D - Moderate Sun Exposure is not Enough

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A recently published study ( Diffey, 13 Jul 2010 ) revealed that "[...] current advice about modest sun exposure during the summer months does little in the way of boosting overall 25(OH)D levels , while sufficient sun exposure that could achieve a worthwhile benefit would compromise skin health." Without directly suggesting dietary supplementation, Diffey concludes: " Failure to understand the nature of human exposure to sunlight has led to misguided advice concerning the sun exposure necessary for an adequate vitamin D status." There is so much going on along the lines of Vitamin D research that it will be hard for me to keep you up-to-date. Nevertheless, I'll do my very best. So stay tuned!
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