Any doctors/biochemists in the house? (Vitamin D absorption)

[Al B. Sure!]

You're a healthy young man, not old, female and brittle or pregnant. Keep in mind most research on vitamin D supplements is probably made on some combination of the latter groups. Are you also taking Ca supplements?

Yes, a lot of calcium since I've had a stress fracture.

And you're right. Studies on stuff like this tend to be none of 'weak' demographics. That is why I'm wondering about this from an athletic perspective. Apparently, Eastern Bloc athletes were aware of the possible benefits of high intake of Vitamin D and there was actually controversy in the 1920's about Vitamin D supplementation by German athletes. From what I've read, it can have a 'steroid-like' effect. However, most of this is coming from the Vitamin D Council.

So I'm wondering about the benefits of relatively high levels of Vitamin D 25 or 50x the USDA recommended.

The 20 minute sun exposure thing is for full body exposure on a sunny day. Despite, the name of the show, it's not always sunny in Philadelphia And then you add in the fact that full body exposure is not generally possible (although I could run shirtless but right now, I'm concentrating on strength which is keeping me in doors during my training sessions), plus my swarthy complexion, and it'll take more than 20 minutes. On the bright side, i tan well and don't get sun burnt.

And no, I don't play World of Warcraft.