Vitamin D Status Determinants in Elite Athletes with Polygenic Score Analysis

A 2026 study by Sebastian Hacker measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in 473 German national squad athletes. The research analyzed genetic and non-genetic determinants using a polygenic score and covariates like age, sex, UVB exposure, and supplementation. The full model explained 31.7% of the variance in vitamin D status.

Use Cases

• Predicting vitamin D status in athletes based on polygenic scores and covariates like age and supplementation.
• Comparing the relative influence of genetic versus environmental factors on a physiological biomarker.
• Training models to identify key modifiable factors for personalized athlete health management.
• Analyzing the incremental predictive power of polygenic scores for complex traits in a specific population.

Strengths

• Includes data from 473 elite athletes, providing a focused sample.
• Model performance metrics are provided, including a mean absolute error of 18.64 nmol/L.
• The full model explains 31.7% of the variance in vitamin D status.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The dataset is small at 676.0 KB, indicating limited scope.

Provenance

Source

figshare, author Sebastian Hacker.

Collection Method

Serum vitamin D status was measured in athletes; PRSice-2 was used for polygenic score development; linear regression models were applied.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-27 22:01:43; freshness should be verified.

Geography

German national squad athletes.