Study: Parkinson's Patients Low On Vitamin D

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People with Parkinson's disease are more likely to have low vitamin D levels, according to the latest study illustrating how getting too little of the "sunshine vitamin" may be detrimental.

In a study published on Monday in the journal Archives of Neurology, researchers examined vitamin D blood levels of about 300 people in their mid-60s, a third of them with Parkinson's, a third with Alzheimer's disease and a third healthy.

They found that 55 percent of those with Parkinson's had low vitamin D levels, compared to 36 percent of the healthy people and 41 percent of those with Alzheimer's disease.

The study was published the same day that a leading U.S. pediatricians group recommended that children get double the amount of vitamin D previously recommended due to growing evidence of the vitamin's importance in preventing disease.

Dr. Marian Evatt of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta said it is too early based on these findings to conclude that low vitamin D levels are a cause of Parkinson's disease.

She noted that having this brain disease may cause a person to have low levels of vitamin D rather than the other way around. The body makes vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and people with Parkinson's may be less likely to do outdoor activities, the researchers said.

Milk also commonly is fortified with vitamin D, and it is found in fatty fish like salmon.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is considered important for bone health. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, and it can lead to rickets in children.

A number of studies have indicated vitamin D may offer a variety of other health benefits including protecting against types of cancer and other ailments.

"Vitamin D is an incredibly hot area within nutritional research in general," Evatt said in a telephone interview.
Parkinson's disease is caused by the destruction of brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, which normally sends signals that help coordinate the body's movements. It typically develops after age 60 but can appear earlier in some people.

Symptoms can include trembling, muscle rigidity, difficulty walking, problems with balance and slowed movements. The disease gets worse over time and there is no cure but some treatments can help control symptoms for a time.

Source: Reuters