It's Already Too Late When Athletes Need Vitamin D Most

Expert Opinion

When Surgery Success Hinges on Pre-Op Status

"It's almost an inevitability that at some point in the year you're going to have an athlete who undergoes surgery just because of the nature of the sport," Dr. Owens explained.

The evidence is striking. Athletes with low vitamin D status consistently show:

• Worse outcomes after orthopedic surgery for ankle fixation issues

• Slower bone healing after foot and ankle fixations when 25OHD levels are inadequate

• Impaired strength recovery following ACL surgery when vitamin D levels fall below 75 nmol/L

But here's the critical insight that changes everything: "Pre-surgical vitamin D status is the most relevant predictor of long-term outcomes compared to postsurgical vitamin D status, and minimal benefits are derived from supplementation in the perioperative or postoperative period."

Once an athlete is injured and surgery is scheduled, it's already too late to optimise their vitamin D levels for optimal recovery. The groundwork for successful healing was laid months earlier.

"It's better to maintain your vitamin D status year-round than try and correct low status once an athlete has already had a problem," Dr. Owens emphasised.

Actionable Takeaway: Maintaining optimal levels becomes essential preparation for the unexpected injuries that are statistical inevitabilities in many sports. The time to optimise vitamin D status is long before any surgical intervention becomes necessary.

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EO3 Recovery Drink

Your athletes train hard, break down muscle tissue, and trigger inflammation with every intense workout.

But what if the recovery drink you recommend is missing a crucial element for rapid repair?

The difference between basic recovery and elite‑level tissue regeneration goes beyond protein timing—it’s the overlooked role of stabilised Omega‑3s working synergistically with that protein.

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The evidence suggests that athletes consuming adequate Omega‑3s tend to recover faster, preserve muscle during injury, and experience enhanced muscle protein synthesis when combined with protein intake.

Recovery depends on what your body actually utilises, not merely what you consume.

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