A new randomized controlled trial has found that vitamin D, along with creatine, calcium and coffee fruit extract, improves golf performance in adult men.

Vitamin D has long been suggested to influence athletic performance by improving musculoskeletal function, balance, and muscle strength.

As far back as 1938, researchers in Russia have known  that ultraviolet B radiation, the type of radiation responsible for vitamin D production, improved running speed in college athletes. Furthermore, the Russian and German Olympic teams may have used ultraviolet B therapy to improve athletic performance in their team members in the 1960’s and ’70’s.

Researchers recently conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine if nutritional supplementation improves golf performance in adult men.

The participants were randomly assigned to take a daily placebo pill or a multivitamin containing creatine monohydrate, coffee arabica fruit extract, calcium, and 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 for 30 days.

They found that those taking the multivitamin had significantly greater drive distance and improvements in set average and peak velocity compared to the placebo group.

“This preliminary investigation yielded significantly greater improvements in best drive distance (~13.6 yards) and a tendency for average driver distinct to improve in healthy male golfers consuming [the multivitamin] for four weeks,”the research team concluded.

“Careful interpretation of these data is encouraged due to their preliminary nature and need to be followed-up with a larger and longer investigation.”

Source

Ziegenfuss, T. et al. Effects of dietary supplement on golf drive distance and functional indices of golf performance. Journal of the international society of sports nutrition, 2015.