Link Between Low Vitamin D Levels, Dementia Confirmed

Posted on September 25, 2014

Greetings from Dr. T,

Just when we thought we’d heard the latest news on the nutritional relevance of vitamin D, an interesting study was just published by University of Exeter in the U.K.  This robust international study associated vitamin D deficiency with a substantially increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people. An international team found that study participants who were severely vitamin D deficient were more than twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the study, dementia is one of the greatest challenges of our time, with 44 million cases worldwide — a number expected to triple by 2050 as a result of rapid population aging. A billion people worldwide are thought to have low vitamin D levels and many older adults may experience poorer health as a result.

The study found evidence that there is a threshold level of Vitamin D circulating in the bloodstream below which the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease increases. They discovered that adults in the study who were moderately deficient in vitamin D had a 53 per cent increased risk of developing dementia of any kind, and the risk increased to 125 per cent in those who were severely deficient.

Vitamin D comes from three main sources — exposure of skin to sunlight, foods such as oily fish, and supplements. In California, we have the opportunity for sun exposure practically year round.  While using sunblock for prolonged sun exposure is advised, fifteen minutes of sun a day without sunblock is enough for most people to build healthy vitamin D reserves.

Yet another reason to take a walk in the park and eat wild caught salmon twice a week!

Until next time…

Yours in health,

Dr. T

Thorburn Chiropractic and Wellness Center
A Winner of the Top Doc L.A. Award
Increasing Health & Vitality for 29 Years
1612 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank, CA 91506
www.ThorburnChiropractic.com
Phone: 818-841-1313
Fax: 818-841-3340