Vitamin D in Vancouver: What You Need to Know About Deficiency, Sunlight, and Supplementation

Living in Vancouver means dealing with long, dark winters and very little direct sunlight. Because vitamin D is made in the skin through UVB exposure, people living at northern latitudes are at a much higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. Even active people who train regularly or spend time outdoors often assume they are getting enough, but research shows that vitamin D levels are commonly low in Canada (and globally too). For athletes, lifters, and anyone trying to support their health, recovery, and immune system, understanding how vitamin D works can make a meaningful difference.

What Vitamin D Actually Does

Vitamin D is often associated with bone health; and yes, it helps the body absorb calcium. But that’s just one of its many jobs.

Vitamin D is technically a fat-soluble hormone, and it interacts with receptors throughout the body. It plays a key role in:

• Immune function

• Inflammation regulation

• Muscle strength and recovery

• Mood and cognitive health

• Bone remodeling and density

Vitamin D receptors are found in immune cells, muscle cells, and even in the brain. So when you’re low, it doesn’t just affect your bones; it can impact recovery, training capacity, and even your ability to fight off colds or feel mentally sharp.

Most People Are Deficient and Don’t Know It

Multiple studies have shown that a large percentage of the population is vitamin D deficient, especially in northern latitudes.

If you live in Vancouver or anywhere else north of the 49th parallel, the odds are stacked against you. From October to April, we don’t get enough UVB rays from the sun for the body to produce vitamin D naturally. Even in summer, many people are indoors most of the day. And here’s something most people don’t realize: Wearing sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which are required for vitamin D synthesis.

To be clear, I am not telling anyone to skip sunscreen entirely or to intentionally burn themselves. Be smart. But understand that even if you go outside, if you’re wearing sunscreen, your body may still not be making enough vitamin D.

Vitamin D Recommendations for Athletes and Active Adults

In Canada, the current Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin D is:

• 600 IU per day for individuals aged 9 to 70

• 800 IU per day for adults over 70

These recommendations, established by Health Canada and the Institute of Medicine (Ross et al., 2010), are designed to prevent deficiency and maintain bone health. They aim to keep serum 25(OH)D above 50 nmol per L, which is considered the minimum threshold for sufficiency in the general population.

However, this RDA was created exclusively around bone-related outcomes, not broader health, immune, or performance considerations. Because of this, many vitamin D researchers argue that these intake levels are too low for individuals seeking optimal health or performance, including athletes (Heaney and Holick, 2011; Holick et al., 2011; Cannell et al., 2009).

Higher Intake Recommendations for Those With Limited Sun Exposure

The Endocrine Society provides a more practical guideline for people who do not obtain regular sun exposure, recommending:

• 1,500 to 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D3 (Holick et al., 2011)

This aligns closely with what I was taught in my graduate sport nutrition coursework.
Around 2,000 IU per day from autumn through spring can help maintain sufficient levels.

In some cases, individuals may still require additional supplementation in summer depending on lifestyle, skin pigmentation, indoor training, and geographic location.

Vitamin D Toxicity: Extremely Rare

Vitamin D toxicity is very uncommon and typically results from accidental consumption of extremely high supplemental doses due to manufacturing errors (Cannell et al., 2008; Holick, 2007).

Key safety points:

• Ten thousand IU per day for up to five months has not been shown to cause toxicity in research (Holick, 2007)

• Sunlight cannot cause vitamin D toxicity because the body naturally limits how much vitamin D it produces

My Experience with High-Dose Supplementation

For the past four years, I have personally taken ten thousand IU per day of vitamin D3. I recently paid for a private vitamin D blood test through LifeLabs. Despite consistently taking what is considered a high dose, my bloodwork showed I was only in the middle of the normal reference range.

This is not a prescription or suggestion that others should follow my exact protocol. It is simply to illustrate that if someone supplementing aggressively is barely hitting mid-range values, many others may be even lower than they realize.

When and How to Take Vitamin D

• Take vitamin D with a meal that contains fat to enhance absorption

• Always pair it with vitamin K2, to ensure proper calcium utilization and reduce any risk of calcification in the arteries

• Ideally take it earlier in the day as vitamin D may influence circadian rhythms and melatonin production

Who Should Supplement

If you live in Canada, especially Vancouver or anywhere with long winters, the odds are high that your vitamin D levels are not optimal. Athletes, in particular, benefit from maintaining sufficient levels for:

• Bone health and density

• Immune support during periods of high training stress

• Recovery and muscle repair

• Mood and mental focus

Even if you are not experiencing symptoms, a blood test is the only way to know for sure. Ask your doctor or healthcare provider for a requisition. In BC, you can also request private testing through LifeLabs.

If you want support building a training plan the improves recovery, strength, and overall health, you can learn more about our services.

Key Takeaways

• Vitamin D is essential for health, performance, and recovery

• Most Canadians are low due to latitude, climate, and indoor living

• Sunscreen blocks UVB rays needed to produce vitamin D

• Six hundred to eight hundred IU per day may not be enough, especially for athletes

• Vitamin D3 should be taken with fat and paired with K2

• Blood testing is the only way to confirm your status

• Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to your supplement routine

Bottom Line: Everyone Should At Least Consider It

In my opinion, almost everyone in Vancouver should be supplementing with vitamin D, especially through the fall and winter. It supports immunity, recovery, mood, and bone health. Unless you’re getting regular blood work, you probably don’t know if you are low.

For athletes and lifters, it is a low-cost, high-reward investment in your long-term health and performance.

Disclaimer

This post is intended for educational purposes only. I am a strength and conditioning coach, not a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or a registered healthcare provider before beginning any supplement protocol.

References

Cannell, J. J., Hollis, B. W., Sorenson, M. B., Taft, T. N., and Anderson, J. J. (2009).
Athletic performance and vitamin D.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41, 1102 to 1110.

Cannell, J. J., Hollis, B. W., Zasloff, M., and Heaney, R. P. (2008).
Diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 9, 107 to 118.

Heaney, R. P., and Holick, M. F. (2011).
Why the IOM recommendations for vitamin D are deficient.
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 26, 455 to 457.

Holick, M. F. (2007).
Vitamin D deficiency.
New England Journal of Medicine, 357, 266 to 281.

Holick, M. F., Binkley, N. C., Bischoff-Ferrari, H. A., Gordon, C. M., Hanley, D. A., Heaney, R. P., Murad, M. H., and Weaver, C. M. (2011).
Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Ross, A. C., Taylor, C. L., Yaktine, A. L., and Del Valle, H. B. (2010).
Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D.
National Academies Press.

Why Women Should Think Twice About Cold Plunges

Cold plunges are everywhere right now. Scroll through social media, walk into any boutique gym, or listen to the latest biohacking podcast, and you're bound to hear someone praising the "recovery magic" of ice baths. But there's a problem: this recovery trend is not built for female physiology. And no one seems to be talking about it.

As a woman, especially one training hard and aiming to get stronger, faster, or more resilient, you need to know this: cold plunges can actually hinder your progress.

The Hype vs. The Science

The fitness industry often pushes one-size-fits-all solutions that are, in reality, designed around male physiology. Cold water immersion is no exception. The main argument for it is that it reduces inflammation and muscle soreness. But what’s rarely discussed is that blunting inflammation also blunts adaptation—the very thing you're working hard for in your training.

A key study published in The Journal of Physiology (2015) found that post-exercise cold water immersion significantly reduced long-term gains in muscle mass and strength by suppressing key anabolic signaling pathways. In simpler terms, jumping into a cold plunge after lifting can shut down the processes your body needs to get stronger.

The Female Factor: Why It’s Worse for Women

Dr. Stacy T. Sims, PhD, exercise physiologist and author of ROAR, explains that women already have a more robust anti-inflammatory response, largely due to estrogen. This is great for recovery in general—but it also means that adding more inflammation-suppressing strategies (like cold plunges) can tip the balance too far.

Here’s what that means:

• Estrogen helps buffer inflammation, so you don’t need the added suppression from cold water.

• Cold plunges inhibit mTOR signaling, a critical pathway for muscle protein synthesis. Since women already face challenges building and maintaining lean muscle due to fluctuating hormone levels—particularly during the high-progesterone phase of the menstrual cycle—this further suppresses adaptation.

• Women have a shorter post-exercise anabolic window. That means the timing and environment for recovery matter more. Cold exposure immediately post-training can close this window prematurely.

Heat, Not Cold, Supports Female Recovery

Dr. Sims recommends heat-based recovery tools for women, such as sauna use or hot baths. Heat increases blood flow, supports mitochondrial adaptations, and promotes muscle repair without blunting the natural signals for strength and hypertrophy.

Where cold shuts down your body’s growth processes, heat helps amplify them—especially beneficial for women looking to increase muscle mass, endurance, and overall athletic performance.

Let’s Talk About the Real Issue

This isn’t just a science debate. It’s a visibility problem. Right now, women are being told to do what’s trending without being informed of how it might hurt them. The fitness industry is ignoring female physiology. And it’s not okay.

If you're a woman who trains, lifts, runs, or just wants to be strong and healthy, you deserve better than a one-size-fits-all recovery strategy. You deserve recovery tools that actually work with your body, not against it.

So the next time someone tells you to jump into a cold plunge for recovery, remember that your physiology is different. And according to Dr. Stacy Sims and peer-reviewed research, cold plunges may be doing more harm than good for women.

Let’s change the conversation.

The Only Two Supplements Most Athletes Actually Need

Walk into any supplement store and it’s overwhelming. Rows of pre-workouts, amino acids, test boosters, fat burners, and other shiny tubs promising to change your game overnight. But the truth is, most of it is noise.

At Avos Strength, we keep it simple. If you’re training hard and want to support performance, recovery, and overall health, there are only two supplements that actually matter.

And they aren’t flashy.

1. Protein Powder: The Most Underrated Tool in the Game

You don’t need protein powder to build muscle, but it can make it a lot easier to get enough protein — especially if you're busy, training often, or just not eating enough.

Protein is the building block of muscle. Without it, recovery slows down and progress stalls.

The general recommendation for active individuals and athletes is 1.6 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. If you're trying to put on muscle or training at a high volume, aim for the higher end of that range.

This means a 70-kilogram athlete should be getting 112 to 140 grams of protein daily. That’s a lot of chicken breast and Greek yogurt — and that’s where a high-quality protein powder can help.

Look for a product that:

• Lists all essential amino acids (a complete protein)

• Contains at least 20 to 25 grams of protein per serving

• Comes from a reputable source like whey isolate, casein, or a solid plant-based blend with a full amino acid profile

If you are a competitive athlete, make sure your product is third-party tested and carries a Safe for Sport stamp such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport. This ensures there are no banned substances and that what's on the label is actually in the product.

Using protein powder post-training or to fill in gaps throughout the day is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to hit your daily targets.

2. Creatine: The Most Researched Supplement in the World

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. It’s stored in your muscles and used to quickly regenerate ATP, the energy source your body relies on for short, powerful efforts like lifting, sprinting, and jumping.

If there’s one supplement that lives up to the hype, it’s creatine. It's been studied for over 30 years and is backed by more peer-reviewed research than any other supplement on the market.

Creatine helps you:

• Perform more reps at a given load

• Recover faster between explosive efforts

• Improve high-intensity performance over time

What’s even more exciting is the emerging research around brain health. Studies now suggest creatine may improve cognitive function, especially under sleep deprivation or mental fatigue, and may play a protective role in aging populations.

How to Take It

• For muscle saturation: Take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day. No need to load or cycle it.

• For brain health benefits: Newer research suggests 10 to 20 grams per day may be more effective, though higher doses should be discussed with a healthcare provider or sport nutritionist.

As with protein powder, if you're a competitive athlete, use a creatine product that is NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport. This ensures the supplement is free from banned substances and batch tested for safety.

Creatine is:

• Safe

• Inexpensive

• Naturally occurring (your body makes it, and you also get it from meat and fish)

• Non-hormonal

• Effective for both men and women

Just take it consistently. It doesn’t need to be timed perfectly with your workout, and you don’t need a fancy pre-workout mix to get the benefits.

Don’t Get Caught in the Supplement Hype

BCAAs, pre-workouts, collagen, fat burners — they all have their place in the marketing stream, but they are not essential.

If you’re on a budget or just want to stick with what works, protein and creatine will give you the most return on your investment. Everything else is secondary.

And most importantly, no supplement replaces hard training, smart programming, and real food.

Build your foundation first. Let supplements support that — not define it.

Why “Evidence-Based Training” Means Nothing Without Real Coaching

The term “evidence-based training” gets thrown around a lot. But what actually makes a coach evidence-based? Reading studies? Having a kinesiology degree? Posting PubMed screenshots on Instagram?

True evidence-based practice goes far beyond quoting research. It is about combining the best available evidence with real-world experience and applying it to the needs of the person in front of you. Too often, that third piece gets ignored.

Foundations First: Coaching Is a Skill, Not a Certificate

You cannot replace lived experience and movement literacy with citations. A coach should know how to move well, demonstrate patterns clearly, and teach with purpose. That takes time under the bar, time on the floor, and years of refining their craft.

You can have a kinesiology degree and still not know how to coach a hinge or assess a client’s squat depth.

At Avos Strength, every junior coach goes through a structured three-month mentorship. They do not just learn protocols. They shadow real sessions, practice cueing, and refine how they coach. Because knowing the “why” is not enough. You also need to know how to deliver the “how.”

Shadowing Matters: Who You Learn From Shapes How You Coach

There is nothing wrong with being new. But good coaches are forged through time, mentorship, and reps.

I shadowed for years without getting paid. Why? Because that is how you build the craft.

Watching seasoned coaches, asking questions, getting feedback, and coaching real people is where you truly grow.

If you are looking to work with a coach, ask:

• Who did they learn from?

• Do they train themselves?

• Do they continue to shadow and learn?

Education without application is just theory.

Yes, the Research Matters. But Know What It Really Says

Let’s be clear. The research is valuable. But it must be understood in context.

Take hypertrophy. For years, people believed you had to train in the 6 to 12 rep range to build muscle. But newer research shows you can build muscle at a wide variety of rep ranges, as long as effort and volume are managed properly.

That means the “best” rep range is the one that fits the person’s goals, experience, and recovery capacity. That is where coaching comes in.

The Bottom Line: Coaching Comes First

Evidence-based is not a title. It is a practice. And that practice only works when you have coaches who understand movement, know how to teach it, and apply research with intention.

If you are a client, look for a coach who:

• Moves well and teaches movement clearly

• Understands the research but does not hide behind it

• Has put in time shadowing and learning from experienced professionals

• Tailors training to your needs, not just to a textbook

If you are a coach, do the real work. Don’t just quote studies. Learn to coach.

Want to Train with Coaches Who Walk the Talk?

At Avos Strength, we believe in continuous learning and real-world coaching. Every coach trains hard, studies smart, and stays on the floor. We do not just say we are evidence-based. We prove it in every session.

Click to Start Training with Us

How to Train Like a Pro Without Overtraining: 3 Conditioning Mistakes Every Fighter Makes

“You’re in shape… until you aren’t.”

Every boxer knows the feeling. You think you’re in shape, you’re sparring well, and then by Round 2 your legs feel like concrete. The problem isn’t effort. It’s the wrong kind of conditioning.

In combat sports, the difference between being fit and being fight ready is small but critical. Fighters often equate exhaustion with improvement. But fatigue is not the goal. The goal is to develop a system that lets you recover, repeat, and stay sharp under stress.

True conditioning teaches your body how to sustain power and recover faster between bursts. It builds the capacity to deliver the same output over and over without falling apart technically.

Mistake #1: Living in the “No-Adaptation Zone”

Most fighters train at one speed all the time. The intensity is too high to truly build aerobic qualities, yet not high enough to improve anaerobic power. This middle zone feels hard but does not create meaningful adaptation.

Training in this gray area leaves you constantly tired without improving the key factors that drive endurance. The aerobic system is the foundation for every other energy system. It is what allows you to recover between flurries, maintain composure, and control your pace.

When the bulk of training sits around 80 to 85 percent of maximum heart rate, the heart and muscles are working, but they are not being pushed to develop either side of the spectrum.

Fix:
Include one dedicated aerobic session each week. Keep the effort at a comfortable but steady pace where you can still breathe through your nose.

• 25 to 30 minutes at 65 to 75 percent of maximum heart rate, or RPE 4 to 5.

• Use light jogging, a spin bike, or shadowboxing flow work.

These lower-intensity sessions build the foundation that makes every other type of conditioning more effective later in camp.

Mistake #2: Mistaking Fatigue for Progress

If every session leaves you completely drained, you are not building capacity, you are burning it.

Fatigue by itself does not equal progress. When you constantly push to exhaustion, your coordination drops, timing slows, and recovery between rounds suffers.

Conditioning should improve the ability to produce high effort repeatedly, not the ability to survive pain. The aim is quality effort, not constant exhaustion.

Fighters often overload glycolytic, or medium-duration, efforts. They push too hard for too long and never develop the shorter, high-power system or the longer aerobic system that supports it. The result is a strong first thirty seconds and then a quick drop-off in speed and output.

Fix:
Introduce short, high-quality power intervals that target your explosive energy system.

• Perform 8 to 10 seconds of all-out work such as a bike sprint, heavy bag flurry, or sled push.

• Rest for 80 to 100 seconds at an easy pace before repeating.

• Complete 6 to 8 total efforts.

These efforts improve maximal power and nervous system efficiency while allowing full recovery between reps.

Mistake #3: Ignoring the Aerobic Engine

The aerobic system is what keeps fighters explosive through multiple rounds. It is also what allows the body to recover between rounds and between training sessions.

Aerobic training does not make a fighter slow. It develops the internal engine that supplies energy to every burst and every exchange. A well-developed aerobic system improves the ability to replenish ATP, clear hydrogen ions, and use lactate as a fuel source during sustained work.

The common idea that fatigue is caused by lactic acid buildup is outdated. Lactic acid does not actually accumulate in the muscles. Instead, it separates into lactate and hydrogen ions, and the resulting increase in acidity contributes to fatigue. Aerobic training improves the body’s ability to manage that acidity and maintain performance over time.

Fix:
Use structured aerobic capacity intervals once or twice a week.

• Work for 2 to 3 minutes at 80 to 90 percent of maximum heart rate or RPE 6 to 7.

• Recover actively for 2 to 3 minutes until your heart rate drops below 130 beats per minute.

• Repeat 4 to 6 rounds.

This type of interval work develops both delivery and utilization of oxygen, helping you stay relaxed and efficient even at higher outputs.

Why Smart Conditioning Wins Fights

The best-conditioned fighters are not always the ones who look the fittest in training. They are the ones who can stay calm, explosive, and efficient no matter how chaotic the fight becomes.

That calmness is a physiological skill. It comes from balancing the aerobic system that drives recovery, the anaerobic system that fuels sustained power, and the alactic system that supports short, explosive actions.

Smart conditioning develops all three systems in the right sequence and with the right intent. Build the base first, layer power on top, and taper the total load before competition.

Train Systems, Not Just Willpower

The difference between being in shape and being ready to fight is not about effort, it is about precision.

Conditioning should make you faster, more efficient, and more durable. It should leave you confident that your body can keep up with your skill. Hard work matters, but only when it builds something specific.

“Hard work is only as good as what it builds.”
— Joel Jamieson

Take the Guesswork Out of Your Conditioning

Knowing what to train is only half the battle. Knowing when and how to train each energy system is what separates a well-conditioned fighter from a tired one. A structured plan designed around your schedule, fight calendar, and current fitness level turns theory into progress.

If you’re serious about improving your fight conditioning, click here to explore our custom programs for fighters— designed to help you train smarter, recover faster, and perform your best when it matters most.

References

• Jamieson, J. (2009). Ultimate MMA Conditioning.

• Bott, C. (2023). Uncovering Limitations in Work Capacity.

• Robergs, R. et al. (2004). “Biochemistry of Exercise-Induced Metabolic Acidosis,” American Journal of Physiology.

• Brooks, G. et al. (2005). Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications.

Why Leucine Matters Most for Muscle Growth and Recovery

Why Leucine Matters Most for Muscle Growth and Recovery

Let’s talk about protein. More specifically, let’s talk about leucine.

Whether you're working to build strength, improve endurance, or maintain lean muscle as you age, your ability to recover and grow depends on one key trigger: muscle protein synthesis. And one amino acid plays the leading role in that process.

What Is Leucine and Why Does It Matter?

Leucine is one of the essential branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). It acts as the “on switch” for muscle repair by activating a molecular pathway called mTOR, which tells your body to start rebuilding muscle tissue after training.

Without enough leucine, even a high-protein meal may not fully trigger muscle protein synthesis. This is why protein quality and amino acid composition matter just as much as hitting your total protein intake.

Why It’s Especially Important for Women

Women tend to have lower baseline rates of muscle protein synthesis compared to men, partly due to hormonal differences. For example, muscle breakdown increases during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, just before your period.

This is one area where Dr. Stacy Sims' work is helpful. In her book ROAR, she highlights the importance of choosing leucine-rich protein sources, especially after strength training or during high-hormone phases when recovery can be compromised.

The research supports this. For both performance and recovery, women benefit from being more deliberate with post-training protein intake.

What to aim for: At least 2.5 grams of leucine in your post-training meal or shake. This is typically the minimum needed to fully activate muscle repair pathways.

How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

For active individuals, the research-supported recommendation is about 1.8 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

That protein should be spaced throughout the day across three to five meals, with roughly 20 to 40 grams of protein per meal depending on your size, goals, and training demands.

For both men and women, leucine still matters. If you don’t hit the leucine threshold in a meal, your body may not initiate the repair process efficiently, even if you meet your total daily intake.

What Plant-Based Athletes Need to Know

If you follow a plant-based or vegan diet, this is something to pay attention to. Many common plant-based protein sources like pea, rice, and hemp contain less leucine per serving than whey or other animal-based proteins.

Some vegan protein powders contain only 1 to 1.5 grams of leucine per serving. That is not enough to reach the 2.5-gram mark that research suggests is needed to trigger muscle protein synthesis effectively.

If your protein label doesn’t list leucine content, check the brand’s website or reach out to the company directly. You may need to supplement with isolated leucine powder or choose a blend that brings you closer to that threshold.

Simple Strategies That Work

• If you are not vegan, choose a high-quality whey isolate after training. Most servings contain around 2.7 grams of leucine.

• If you are vegan, look for blends that list leucine content and get close to 2.5 grams, or add free-form leucine to your post-workout shake.

• Do not rely on BCAAs alone. Always aim for a complete protein source after lifting or intense training.

• For women, be especially strategic about recovery nutrition during the luteal phase, when muscle breakdown is elevated.

The Bottom Line

Leucine is not just another buzzword. It is one of the most important amino acids for recovery and muscle growth.

Whether you eat animal protein, plant-based protein, or a combination of both, what matters most is that you are getting enough leucine to support the work you are putting in at the gym or on the field.

If you want to build muscle, maintain strength as you age, or support your training with purpose, start by paying attention to your post-workout protein. Total intake matters, but leucine matters even more.

Train. Play. Repeat.