Healthy living
Medicines and supplements
Parkinson’s linked to vitamin D deficiency
People with Parkinson’s disease are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D than healthy older people, say US scientists reporting in the journal Archives of Neurology
Now researchers want to find out if vitamin D supplements could ease the symptoms of the neurological disease.
A study conducted at the Emory University in the US compared the vitamin D levels of 100 patients with Parkinson's to 99 similarly matched, healthy individuals. The team found that 55 per cent of the Parkinson's patients had low levels of vitamin D compared with 36 per cent of the healthy participants.
The scientists do not know yet whether vitamin D deficiency is a cause or result of the disease – and more tests are under way to find out.
‘We found that vitamin D insufficiency may have a unique association with Parkinson's, which is intriguing and warrants further investigation,’ said study leader Dr Marian Evatt. Researchers have found that the part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s – the substantia nigra – is sensitive to vitamin D, which may suggest that the vitamin is important in maintaining the health of this area of the brain.
About 120,000 people in the UK have the condition, which mostly affects those over 50. Parkinson’s is a brain disease that involves damage to nerve cells in the substantia nigra. These cells produce a chemical called dopamine that helps control movement. Common symptoms include shaking, stiffness and problems with walking, talking and writing.
No one knows why some people develop Parkinson’s disease but it is thought that a number of environmental and genetic factors may be involved. Although there is no cure at present, a number of drugs have been developed to ease the symptoms.
We get most of our vitamin D through exposure to sunlight but, as we age, our skin becomes less efficient at making the vitamin and it is not unusual for older people to become deficient. The Department of Health recommends that people over 65 take a daily supplement of 10mcg.
Dr Kieran Breen, Director of Research at the Parkinson’s Disease Society welcomed the research: ‘Studies like this provide clues as to what happens to the brain of people living with Parkinson’s and the potential link between the condition and a vitamin deficiency.
‘Further research is required to determine at what stage the deficiency in vitamin levels occur in the brains of people with Parkinson’s and whether the provision of a dietary supplement, or increased exposure to sunlight may help alleviate symptoms or have an effect on the rate of the condition’s progression.
‘This would help us answer the question as to whether the decrease in vitamin D levels in Parkinson’s is a cause or effect of the condition.’
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
