A recent study conducted by researchers at Trinity College Dublin and the University of Limerick has associated vitamin D deficiency with inflammation in older adults.
The study, published in the PLOS ONE journal, detected high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in vitamin D-deficient adults. CRP above 10mg/dL can indicate low-grade inflammation, which may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cognitive impairment.
The new study used data from Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), which contained vitamin D and CRP measurements from Irish participants over the age of 50. Key findings revealed that those with a sufficient vitamin D status had a reduced risk of a high CRP level compared to those who were deficient in vitamin D. Factors that increase the risk of high CRP levels included obesity, smoking, being female, physical inactivity, chronic conditions, and poorer kidney function and diabetes, the study found.
‘Our findings along with previous trials in this area suggest that optimizing vitamin D status to above deficient levels could help to benefit the inflammation pathway in community-dwelling older adults,” lead author Eamon Laird, PhD, said in a statement.
Laird noted that vitamin D is just one way to decrease inflammation.
“In order to have the lowest risk of inflammation people should think about vitamin D in combination with regular physical activity, healthy lifestyle, adequate sleep and social interactions,” Laird said.
Vitamin D, often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” has been found to benefit bone health, immune function and cognitive performance. Just last week, a study revealed that vitamin D, along with exercise and cognitive training can help older adults with mild cognitive impairments. Exposure to vitamin D also is linked to a lower rate of dementia compared to no exposure, according to a recent study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
