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Vitamin D important for overall survival

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Older women may benefit from seeking vitamin D testing to determine if they are deficient, as a recent study found that higher levels of the nutrient may provide a degree of protection against death.

While many studies have looked into the benefits of vitamin D, few have determined whether there is any benefit to having higher levels when it comes to overall survival.

Researchers from the University of Nis in Serbia reviewed findings from 50 previous investigation involving close to 100,000 seniors. The results showed that those who had healthy vitamin D levels had 6 percent lower mortality rates.

This is important because the vast majority of individuals in older populations have dangerously low levels of the nutrient. They are also at the greatest risk of dying. Supporting healthy nutritional levels among these individuals could lead to gains in life expectancy and reduce the prevalence of potentially deadly falls.

The researchers said that their findings help shed light on the importance of vitamin D levels in high-risk individuals. The results suggest that vitamin D testing and supplementation when appropriate could lead to significant improvements in the health of many individuals.