Vitamin D Deficiancy Linked to Brain Damage, Says Study

New findings reveal that Vitamin D does not aid only in maintaining bone health but also plays a crucial role in shielding the brain and tissues from damages.

This U.K. study was conducted by Allan Butterfield, professor in the U.K. Department of Chemistry, director of the Center of Membrane Sciences, faculty of Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and director of the Free Radical Biology in Cancer Core of the Markey Cancer Center.

For the study middle-aged mice were fed a diet low in vitamin D over a span of 4 to 5 months. It was observed that the brains of the rats experienced free radical damage, the redox proteomics also detected the damage caused to various brain protein. A reduction in cognitive functions was also observed . 

"Given that vitamin D deficiency is especially widespread among the elderly, we investigated how during aging from middle-age to old-age how low vitamin D affected the oxidative status of the brain," Allan Butterfield said, according to a news release. "Adequate vitamin D serum levels are necessary to prevent free radical damage in brain and subsequent deleterious consequences."

 This study is also published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine.

The sunshine vitamin is considered to be very vital as it helps in combating various chronic diseases such as TB, cardiovascular ailments, cancers, etc. Low intake of the vitamin is also linked to Alzheimer's disease.

The lead author Butterfield advices people to get their vitamin D levels checked by their physicians and consume a vitamin D rich diet, supplements or simply sun bathe for 10 to 15 minutes daily if they have low levels of the vitamin.