Two recent
studies highlight the importance of adequate vitamin D levels to healthy
aging. Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin,
is made by the skin when exposed to sunlight.
As we age, the body becomes much less effective at making vitamin D, so
many seniors have insufficient levels of vitamin D.
One recent study
found that mental function may decline faster in older adults with low levels
of vitamin D. For the study, researchers
tracked the vitamin D levels and cognitive function of 380 seniors over 5
years. The researchers found that, like
the general population, the majority of
study participants had levels of vitamin D that were too low; 26% were vitamin
D-deficient (below 12 nanograms per milliliter) and 35% were vitamin
D-insufficient (12-19ng/mL). The study
revealed that at baseline individuals with low vitamin D were more likely to
have dementia as well as poorer thinking and memory skills, and during follow-up, the rates of decline in
memory, thinking and problem-solving among those who were vitamin D-deficient
and vitamin D-insufficient were significantly greater than among those with
adequate levels of vitamin D. The study
authors hypothesize that vitamin D may help protect the brain from developing the
plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease.
In a second
recent study, on homebound seniors, researchers found that vitamin D supplementation
greatly reduced falls. Over five months,
68 homebound seniors received either a monthly vitamin D supplement of 100,000
international units (equivalent to taking approximately 3000 IU daily) or a
placebo. At the start of the study, over
three-fourths of participants were either deficient or insufficient in vitamin
D. The supplemented group experienced
less than half the falls of the placebo group.
Every year, about one-third of seniors who live at home suffer falls,
and about one in 10 falls results in serious injury.
What
to do: While much remains
unknown about how vitamin D impacts health, emerging research suggests nearly
all cells in the body have receptors for vitamin D and it may play an important
role in maintaining not only musculoskeletal health but also neurological, endocrine,
cardiovascular, and immune health. It is
difficult to get adequate vitamin D from diet.
It is found in many fortified products including milk and it occurs
naturally in fatty fish, fish liver oils, and the edible bones in foods such as
canned salmon & sardines. The
recommended daily intake of vitamin D for older adults is 600 to 800 IU. However many persons supplementing at this
level still have inadequate levels. When
getting bloodwork, request that your doctor check vitamin D levels. Persons with some conditions should not
supplement with Vitamin D so check with your provider before starting
supplementation. Vitamin D is widely
available in over-the counter supplements.
To maximize uptake of vitamin D, choose a supplement with D3
that includes calcium.
Sources:
Houston DK, Tooze
JA, Demons JL et al. Delivery of a vitamin D intervention in
homebound older adults using a Meals-on-Wheels program: A pilot study. Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society.
September 2015 Sept; 63 (9): 1861-1867. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.13610
Miller JW,
Harvey DJ, Beckett LA et al. Vitamin D status and rates of cognitive decline
in a multiethnic cohort of older adults. JAMA Neurology. Published online ahead of print September 14, 2015
DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.2115
Adapted from
articles available at:
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