Vitamin D deficiency may cause poor muscle function, particularly in older adults, according to a new study by Australian researchers.
In experiments using mice, researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Australia, and collaborating universities, found that those with a vitamin D deficiency had approximately a 40% decline in mitochondrial function in their muscles, possibly affecting their ability to convert energy from food and limiting muscle performance and recovery. Those findings suggest that preventing vitamin D deficiency in older adults could help maintain better muscle strength and function and reduce age related muscle deterioration, although further studies are needed to confirm this.
“Our results show there is a clear link between vitamin D deficiency and oxidative capacity in skeletal muscle,” said Andrew Philp, Ph.D., the study’s lead author. “They suggest that vitamin D deficiency decreases mitochondrial function, as opposed to reducing the number of mitochondria in skeletal muscle. We are particularly interested to examine whether this reduction in mitochondrial function may be a cause of age related loss in skeletal muscle mass and function.”
The study was published Friday in the Journal of Endocrinology.
