Vitamin D Can Help with Balance Problems
Vitamin D and Balance Problems
by Greg Marshall
As you get older, it is common to feel a little sway in your step that you did not expect. When people reach their early 60s, it is common for them to experience balance problems. This difficulty stems from the fact that your sense of balance relies on the part of the brain called the cerebellum to receive and analyze information from a number of your senses, and it then sends signals through you muscles to your nerves. If you have age related degeneration in your sense of sight, inner ear, muscles, or nervous system, it is likely you will have difficulty with your balance.
Balance and the risk of falls
When older people have difficulty with their sense of balance, they are at a greater risk of falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 33 percent of Americans older than 65 have at least one fall each year, and falls account for the most injury related deaths among the elderly1. Additionally, falls can also lead to a premature loss of daily functioning in the elderly due to severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injury and hip fractures.
Vitamin D helps the elderly maintain balance
According to a study conducted at the University of Angers in France, elderly study participants that had a higher than optimal blood level of vitamin D had a better ability to balance on a soft surface than the elderly that had average levels of the nutrient2. Additionally, it is important to note that the scientific community has long recognized that low levels of vitamin D are associated with balance problems.
How you can stay balanced with vitamin D
Whether you are at the prime of your life or you have reached your golden years, it is important to make sure you get the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D each day. The RDA for adults younger than 70 is 600 IU, and for those 70 and older it is 800 IU. While the body makes some of the vitamin D from skin exposure to the sun, people need to eat foods rich in these essential nutrients, such as salmon and vitamin D enriched milk3. If you are concerned that you are not getting enough vitamin D in your diet, you can take a vitamin D supplement.
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References
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html
2 Annweiler C, Muir S, Nabeel S, Gopaul K, Beauchet O, Montero-Odasso M. Higher Serum Vitamin D Concentration Is Associated with Better Balance in Older Adults with Supra-Optimal Vitamin D Status. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society. 2013.
3 Office of Dietary Supplements National Institutes of Health. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
