Research has shown that elderly people who consume sufficient amounts of vitamin D can prevent sarcopenia to a degree similar to that achieved through exercise.

 

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's National Institute of Health Research announced on the 19th that they have published the research results on the effects of vitamin D on improving sarcopenia in the elderly, confirmed through animal experiments, in the recent issue of the international journal 'Life Sciences'.

 

The researchers found that after administering vitamin D to 18-month-old elderly mice for four months, their muscle mass and strength were maintained at normal levels. In contrast, elderly mice that did not receive vitamin D had significantly lower blood vitamin D levels and exhibited sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by an abnormal decline in muscle mass, strength, and function with aging, leading to activity disabilities, diabetes, metabolic diseases, and other geriatric conditions.

 

Consistent exercise is effective in preventing and treating sarcopenia. When you exercise, muscle hormones called myokines are secreted, which not only improve muscle function but also influence metabolic regulation and inflammation reduction in the brain, liver, and fat tissues.

 

As age increases, the levels of myokines, including apelin (a peptide composed of 77 amino acids), and their receptors decrease rapidly. The research team was the first to discover that vitamin D increases the blood concentration of apelin and the expression of its receptors.

 

In other words, supplementing with vitamin D can alleviate cellular aging in muscle tissue and increase muscle protein synthesis, thereby preventing muscle loss. The Disease Control and Prevention Agency explained that the improvement in muscle function from vitamin D is comparable to that achieved through exercise. Even elderly individuals who find exercise difficult can achieve similar effects with vitamin D.

 

Director Park Hyun-young of the National Institute of Health Research stated, "This is a study that directly elucidates the mechanism of preventing sarcopenia through vitamin D intake in old age," and added, "Adequate vitamin D intake can prevent sarcopenia and improve healthy lifespan."

 

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Prevention of muscle loss in old age

You really need to make sure to take vitamin D.

 

There is no sunshine at all today.

There is no sign of it coming out, so...

On days like this, I should take care of my nutrition with supplements and eating habits.