Vitamin D Can Keep Us Moving, According To Study

Older adults who don’t get enough Vitamin D, in addition to putting the health of their bones and heart at risk, may also be in danger of developing mobility limitations and disability, according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study analyzed an association discovered between Vitamin D and the onset of mobility limitation and disability over six years of follow-up, using data from the National Institute on Agings study on Health, Aging, and Body Composition.

Data from a total of 2,099 participants was used for this study, with eligible participants reporting at the outset no difficulty walking one-fourth mile, climbing 10 steps, or performing daily activities. All participants were free of life-threatening illness, and serum levels of Vitamin D were measured at the beginning of the study.

Mobility limitation and disability are defined as any difficulty or lack of ability in walking several blocks or climbing a flight of stairs. Occurrence of mobility limitation and disability during follow-up was then assessed during annual clinic visits, alternated with telephone interviews every six months over six years.

“We observed about a 30 percent increased risk of mobility limitations for those older adults who had low levels of Vitamin D, and almost a two-fold higher risk of mobility disability,” according to lead author Denise Houston, PhD, a nutrition epidemiologist in the Wake Forest Baptist Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology.

Vitamin D plays an important role in muscle function, so it is quite possible that low levels of the vitamin could result in the onset of decreased muscular strength, naturally resulting in compromised physical performance. Vitamin D may also indirectly affect overall physiological function and metabolism, as low Vitamin D levels have also been associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. These conditions are frequently related to a corresponding decline in physical function.

People get Vitamin D when it is naturally produced in the skin by sun exposure, by eating foods with Vitamin D, such as fortified milk, juice and cereals, and by taking vitamin D supplements. Current recommendations call for adults over the age of 70 to aim for 800 IUs of Vitamin D daily in their diet or supplements. These dietary recommendations, however, are based solely on Vitamin Ds benefits for bone health. When taking into account all the other health factors this vitamin has been associated with in recent years, it seems reasonable to predict an increase in these recommendations.