While recent studies have found Americans are at a risk of vitamin D deficiency, new research has linked the condition to increased inflammation in otherwise healthy women.
University of Missouri nutritional sciences researcher Catherine Peterson has found increased concentrations of serum TNF-alpha, an inflammatory marker, were found in women who had insufficient vitamin D levels, according to the universitys website.
“The findings reveal that low vitamin D levels negatively impact inflammation and immune response, even in healthy women,” said Catherine Peterson, who is an assistant professor in the MU College of Human Environmental Studies.
She adds, “Increased inflammation normally is found in people with obesity or chronic diseases [and] a small decrease in vitamin D levels may aggravate symptoms in people who are sick.”
The results of the study are consistent with recent research that suggests the daily recommended intake should be increased from 200 IUD to as much as 1000 IUD.
In the future, Peterson plans to look at the effectiveness of Vitamin D in reducing disease symptoms and reducing blood sugar levels in diabetics.
For those who may not get enough vitamin D from their diet or from exposure to sunshine, nutritional health supplements may be a good alternative.
