Physical performance declines as adults age and it’s natural too. However deficiency in vitamin D could increase the risk of poor physical performance and disability in aging adults according to a study.
According to healthlink, the major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen. Vitamin D prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults — skeletal diseases that result in defects that weaken bones.
The ability of skin to convert vitamin D to its active form decreases as we age. The kidneys, which help convert vitamin D to its active form, sometimes do not work as well when people age.
The study was conducted on over nine hundred adults who were aged over 65 and were given short physical performance tests like handgrip strength, walking speed, ability to stand from a chair and it was found that those who had low levels of vitamin D fared badly in the tests when compared to others.
It was found that at least twenty five percent of the aging adults had low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is also produced naturally when the skin is exposed to adequate sunlight. Researchers also advice adults over fifty to consume more foods such as fortified milk, juice and cereals that are rich in vitamin D.
Image