Vitamin D is Linked To Parkinson's Disease

Filed in archive Dietary Supplements and Vitamins , Parkinson's Disease on October 15, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, paul kline

The intriguing results of a study from Emory University School of Medicine suggested that Parkinson's disease patients are more likely to be Vitamin D deficient compared to healthy adults or patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Fifty-five per cent of patients with Parkinson's disease had insufficient levels of vitamin D, compared to 36 and 41 per cent for healthy people and patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a study of 300 people from the Southeast United States.

Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency can lead to osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Insufficiency is typically defined as blood levels of 25(OH)D lower than 30 ng/mL.

Results of the said study highlighted the need to investigate whether low vitamin D levels contribute to the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.