Solar power

Dear Reader, Here's a new spin on the term "solar power" for you... A team of researchers recently looked at a dozen people with severe vitamin D deficiency. They used an MRI to evaluate how long it took subjects' calf muscles to recover after exercise, both before and after D supplementation. Results showed that muscle efficiency and recovery time improved significantlyafter just 10 to 12 weeks of supplementing with D. And this increase was paired with a corresponding decline in fatigue symptoms. So what's the takeaway here? It means that anyone trying to maximize endurance and get strong--the athletic and elderly alike--would do well to get a little more vitamin D. With summer right around the corner, this should be easier than ever. Just be sure to get at least 20 minutes of mid-day sunshine--with no sunscreen and plenty of bare skin--every day. Of course, when in doubt, supplement. I always recommend that my patients take at least 2,000 IU of D3 daily... and even more if you don't get outside much.