Senior Health | Vitamin D3 Confirmed a Winner for Seniors

By Jan Shapan:

Among the numerous recommended vitamins for senior citizens, vitamin D continues to rank as one of the most important. History has illustrated the value of vitamin D in the constant battles against common colds and with some forms of serious disease such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

But this important vitamin may also be vital in keeping seniors physically mobile and active in the later years of life based on the newest study results.

The study suggests, according to Denise Houston, PhD, RD, assistant professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest in North Carolina, that elderly people found to have higher blood levels of vitamin D enjoyed better physical functioning.

Vitamin D is useful because it facilitates calcium absorption, supports overall muscle strength and is vitally important for repair and growth of the bones in the body. It is normally produced when the sun’s ultraviolet rays make contact with the skin.

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Unfortunately, vitamin D is not found in many foods so deficiencies can be fairly common especially for older people that get less sunshine. And the aging process itself appears to diminish the body’s ability to synthesize vitamin D efficiently.

Dr. Houston and her associates sought in their study to determine if vitamin D influences age related changes in physical performance. More than 2500 seniors were evaluated with an average age of 75.

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Of those evaluated in the study, the people that started the process with higher levels of vitamin D performed better than those whose blood levels were lower at the beginning. “Because they started out better, they remained at higher physical functioning,” according to Dr. Houston.

Debates still remain about the level of vitamin D, seniors should be taking. The Institute of Medicine suggests a daily dose of 400 IU for people in the age range of 51 to 70 and increasing the dosage to 600IU if you are older than 70. The upper limit is considered 2000IU by the Institute.

While the debates continue, seniors should be sure to have vitamin D as a core part of their daily supplement regime to enhance personal bone strength, durability and physical functioning throughout the later years of life.

About The Author:

Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://For-Seniors.org or http://LivingSenior.org