Vitamin D and physical function: Is more better?

The popularity of vitamin D has been surging in recent years, largely because of the growing list of its proposed health benefits. But not all of the claims are backed by evidence. For example, there have been suggestions that vitamin D can help you reduce your risk of arthritis prevent heart disease improve your brain function and lessen your risk of dementia improve your immune function and lessen the risk of immune disorders. These are difficult claims to prove — or disprove. Most of them come from studies linking a low intake of vitamin D or a low level in the blood with an increased risk of disease or death. But, it’s possible that people with low intake or blood levels of vitamin D levels also smoke more, exercise less, or have other explanations for their higher rates of disease and death. While it’s not at all clear that vitamin D can deliver these health benefits, getting enough vitamin D is important, especially for maintaining bone health. Severe deficiency of vitamin D can cause osteomalacia, which means “soft bones.” (In children, abnormal bone development due to vitamin D deficiency is called rickets.) Low levels of vitamin D can also contribute to osteoporosis: vitamin D is needed to promote calcium absorption in the gut, and calcium is essential in building and remodeling bone. Can vitamin D also improve physical function? To explore the possibility that vitamin D might provide yet another health benefit, researchers recently published a study to d...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Complementary and alternative medicine Drugs and Supplements Exercise and Fitness Health Healthy Aging Prevention Source Type: news