A Dutch study has recently found that vitamin D levels in people over the age of 55 are related to an inability to accomplish ordinary tasks of daily life.
The researchers studied 2 groups of older people. The first group included 725 men and women 55 to 65 years old, while the second group consisted of 1,237 men and women older than 65 years. Both groups of participants were asked to do daily tasks such as walking up and down a staircase, dressing and undressing, and using their own or public transportation. All the participants had their blood tested for vitamin D levels.
After controlling for factors such as age, physical activity and chronic disease, the researchers found that in both groups a vitamin D level below 20 nanograms per milliliter was connected with an increased number of disabilities compared with those of a normal level (above 30). These results were published online in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Dr. Evelien Sohl, of the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, and lead author said the results do not establish that low vitamin D is the cause of disability. “Maybe vitamin D supplements would be of benefit,” she said. “But before we can assume this, we have to test it in randomized controlled trials.” nytimes.com 7/22/13
