You probably know that the primary source of vitamin D is right outside your door and up in the sky. The sun helps synthesize vitamin D in the skin promoting the growth of strong muscles and bones, lowering blood pressure, easing fibromyalgia pain, and slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis. But just as vitamin D can promote good health, a lack of it may lead to health issues.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include bone pain, muscle weakness, increased blood pressure, and depression. While many factors can influence those symptoms, if you haven’t changed your lifestyle recently, such conditions may be signs of vitamin D2 or D3 deficiency. If you fit this description, consider voicing your concerns to your primary care provider or a registered dietitian. These professionals can work with you to modify your diet or lifestyle and correct the problem.
* Dementia and Vitamin D DeficiencyA study published in August 2014 in the journal Neurology found that moderate and severe vitamin D deficiency in older adults was associated with a doubled risk for some forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia involves a decline in thinking, behavior, and memory that negatively affects daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for as many as 80 percent of dementia cases, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
* Prostate Cancer and Low Vitamin D A study published in May 2014 in the journal Clinical Cancer Research found a link between low blood levels of vitamin D and aggressive prostate cancer in European-American and African-American men.
Researchers looked at vitamin D levels in 667 men ages 40 to 79 who were undergoing prostate biopsies. The connection between vitamin D and prostate cancer seemed especially strong in African-American men, with results suggesting that African-American men with low vitamin D levels were more likely to test positive for the cancer than the other men with normal vitamin D levels.
* Severe ED Linked to Low Vitamin DA small study of 143 subjects published in August 2014 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that men with severe erectile dysfunction (ED) had significantly lower vitamin D levels than men with mild ED.
Study authors theorized that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to ED by impeding the arteries’ ability to dilate — a condition called endothelial dysfunction and a heart-disease marker that has been associated with vitamin D deficiency in other research.
* Vitamin D and Risk of Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder that affects about 1.1 percent of American adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Symptoms of schizophrenia, which commonly appear between ages 16 and 30, include hallucinations, incoherent speech, withdrawal from others, and trouble focusing or paying attention.
People who are vitamin D deficient may be twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia compared with people with sufficient vitamin D levels, suggests a review published in October 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers reviewed findings from 19 observational studies that analyzed the relationship between schizophrenia and vitamin D deficiency and observed a link between the two factors.
* Vitamin D Deficiency and Heart Disease Numerous studies have shown an association between low vitamin D blood levels and heart disease and related complications, according to a review published in January 2014 in Circulation Research, but science has not clearly established if supplementation can reduce these risks. The review cites research that points to vitamin D levels as a potential culprit for health problems related to heart disease such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.
You can reduce your risk of heart disease by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a diet rich in lean meat, nuts, and fruits and veggies, according to the American Heart Association.