In an Acta Neurologica Scandinavia study of 182 patients with Parkinson's disease and 185 healthy controls, patients with Parkinson's disease had significantly lower levels of vitamin D in their blood. Also, patients with lower vitamin D levels were more likely to fall, and to experience sleep problems, depression, and anxiety.
The findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation may help to treat non-motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease.
As various non-motor symptoms place a burden on individuals with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers, vitamin D might be a potential add-on therapy for improving these neglected symptoms."
Senior author Chun Feng Liu, MD, PhD, Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, China
Source:
Journal reference:
Zhang, H-J. et al. (2019) Relationship between 25‐Hydroxyvitamin D, bone density, and Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. doi.org/10.1111/ane.13141.
Vitamin D deficiency persists despite easy access, review suggests need for tailored supplements