WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 23 (UPI) -- Older U.S. adults who don't get enough vitamin D, from their diet or the sun, can be at increased risk for poor physical performance and disability.
A study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences found that physical performance and grip strength were about 5 percent to 10 percent lower in those who had low levels of vitamin D.
About 25 percent of people over age 60 have low vitamin D levels, and previous research has shown that vitamin D can play a role in bone health as well as diabetes, cancer and tuberculosis.
Vitamin D plays an important part in muscle function, so it is plausible that low levels of the vitamin could result in lower muscle strength and physical performance, according to lead author Denise Houston of Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Older adults are particularly prone to low vitamin D levels because they may get less exposure to sunlight and because their skin is less efficient in producing vitamin D from sun exposure compared to younger adults, says Houston. Older adults also may not get enough vitamin D from dietary sources.
