Vitamin D found to enhance muscle strength in the elderly
Posted on 9 September 2009
Back in May, one of my blogs focused on some evidence which suggests that vitamin D has the capacity to improve a range of measures of physical function, including fitness, muscular strength, balance and reaction time. Strange though this may seem, there indeed appears to be evidence that simply sitting the sun may be all it takes to get fitter and healthier.
Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to sit out in the sun. Some parts of the World, particularly during colder seasons, don
Published September 9, 2009 . Filed under: Nutrients and Supplements, Sunlight
William Davis, MD says that vitamin D3 gelcaps work at improving blood levels of D but the tablets don’t work consistently. Seems like a very simple study would determine if that’s true or not. Lots of people take the tablets as they are cheaper.
September 9, 2009 @ 11:59 am
John, I hadn’t been able, in the few minutes available before I shoot off to work, to locate visitor contribution that postulated a possible evolutionary basis and advantage for a degree of ‘seasonal metabolic dynamism’ as a physiological response to seasonal variation in dietary inputs and factors.
Some had interpreted my earlier contributions upon the role of Vitamin D as outright scepticism though really I was only being sceptical about such an overt relationship.
The artificial sweetener thread set me off thinking and I’m inclined to voice some under-explored and under-developed speculation.
As you know my interest is the exploration of human dietary pre-history and the belief that contrasts with the modern day could be illuminative.
One of my own investments is that past prominent dietary inputs supplied cabs and proteins (with the presence of much fibre) in a broad and intrinsic balance (foliar foods and nuts).
The sweetener thread has prompted the observation that there is cause to think the seasonal availability of the sweetest and most sugar rich foods (ripe fruits) would likely correlate to (perhaps following just a few weeks on from) the greatest seasonal ability to synthesise vitamin D.
This postulation would be a basis to add support to the role of vitamin D in the broader sense of matabolic regulation – but one relationship may add complication; that of the carb-cholesterol link, if any, and this on the basis of the involvement of cholesterol as a founding cursor in it D synthesis.
Puzzling… I’m hooked, and really appreciative of your efforts and blog.
September 11, 2009 @ 11:33 pm
read your blog eagerly….thank you….
i’m u k based, rural area….go to boots the chemist [ like many people ]….their vit d called strong is labled 12.5 [grams?]…..how do i work out the i.u.’s that you quote…. and is it the best vit d…..and are there any reasons not to self prescribe…..
September 12, 2009 @ 9:05 pm
agree withmazza, clarification needed as to what a daily dose would be. Find the various ugs/ius very confusing
Daily I take Solgar D3 (10ug) (400iu) which would appear to be but a blip in the ocean compared to the levels quoted – am I wasting my time.
Your guidance greatly appreciated
Thank you
Shelagh Brady
September 14, 2009 @ 6:49 am
mazza
1 ug = 40 IU so 12.5 ug = 500 IU. can’t comment on the quality of Boots’ vitamin D (don’t know it) but I’ve read that oil-filled gelcaps are the best source (and these are what I take).
shelagh
whether or not you are wasting your time depends, to a degree, on whether the supplement you are using at your current dose is optimising your vitamin D levels, and the only way to tell that is to have appropriate testing. In all likelihood, though, the dose you are currently taking is likely to be leaving you with suboptimal levels of vitamin D.
September 14, 2009 @ 5:59 pm
“John, I hadn
September 14, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
Ah, here is that earlier thread and comment on the seasonal. Pure speculation on my part, but with gratitude to TW for a natural perspective and submission that confers some agreement.
One would have an expectation of day length and vitamin D to have an involvement.
Seasonality and metabolic shift would not be so pertinent to us in the modern day save for as a talking point and the potential insight it may cast upon the nature 21st century weight gain. It does make nature fascinating. I’m starting an interest to late in life, I feel.
September 17, 2009 @ 11:33 am
[...] Vitamin D found to enhance muscle strength in the elderly | Dr … [...]
September 26, 2009 @ 9:07 am
I decided to move up from a simple multi-vitamin and decided to go with the best on the market, which is the Dr Max Powers “Anabolic Stack”. The more I research, the more I realize it is a good idea to suppliment the diet with a good multi.
Since I am the gym and working out quite a bit, I could justify stepping up to the Dr Max Anabolic Stack. I have been taking them for almost 3 weeks and seem to have additional energy. I have had no side effects at all and have gotten used to taking all the pills in the morning.
I recommend this product for those that are active and want to ensure they are meeting all their vitamin and mineral needs. If this doesn’t cover it.. nothing will!
December 18, 2009 @ 11:36 pm