Low Vitamin D Related to Parkinsons Disease

Sunlight on the skin enables the generation of vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels can increase an individual’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in later life, according to Finnish researchers.
Their 3,000 persons study of 3,000 people discovred that the lowest levels of the vitamin D meant a three-fold higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Vitamin D may enable the protection of nerve cells slowly lost by indivduals with this disease, according to experts.
Parkinson’s UK, the charity, stated that further research is needed. Parkinson’s disease is a condition which affects multiple parts of the brain, triggering symptoms, such as, tremors and slow movements.
The researchers measured vitamin D levels amongst a group of individuals between 1978 and 1980 by sampling their blood.
Subsequently, they monitored these individuals for over 30 years to see whether or not they had developed Parkinson’s disease.
They discovered that those individuals who had the lowest levels of vitamin D were three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s, in comparison with the group with the highest levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is generated by the body upon the skin being exposed to sunlight. You can also get some vitamin d from foods, such as oily fish, cereals and milk.
With age we are less proficient at producing vitamin D. Vitamin D enables the body to absorb calcium and is critical for bone formation. Recent research has shown that it helps regulate the immune system and assists the development of the nervous system.
At present 30 nanograms per millilitre of blood or more is considered to be optimal for bone health in humans. A balanced healthy diet ought to provide the recommended levels of vitamin D.