| Helps prevent hip and other bone fractures One | | | | observed that as blood levels of the vitamin rose, |
| of D vitamin's primary functions is to regulate the | | | | the incidence of infection decreased. |
| body's absorption of calcium in the body, making it | | | | May help prevent and treat depression It is |
| a key player in the prevention of bone softening | | | | known that the vitamin plays a key role in a |
| diseases such as osteoporosis and osteomalasia. | | | | number of neurological and hormonal processes, |
| A 2009 study by the University of Pittsburgh | | | | and feelings of depression are identified as one of |
| determined that low levels of the vitamin can | | | | the symptoms of D vitamin deficiency. This |
| increase post-menopausal women's risk of hip | | | | connection may be of increasing importance to |
| fracture by as much as 70%. | | | | older women, because the body's ability to |
| May help protect against many forms of cancer, | | | | manufacture D vitamin decreases as we age. |
| including breast cancer A 2008 study by the | | | | The importance of the vitamin to mood was |
| German Cancer Research Center, which | | | | established in a 2008 study by the University of |
| monitored almost 2,800 post-menopausal women, | | | | Amsterdam, which showed that older people with |
| concluded that women with very low blood levels | | | | low levels of the vitamin were more likely to be |
| of the vitamin had a significantly higher risk of | | | | depressed. The researchers said that while |
| developing breast cancer than those with | | | | additional study is warranted to determine |
| adequate levels. | | | | whether low levels of the vitamin were the cause |
| In addition, the American Journal of Clinical | | | | of depression or a side effect of it, they |
| Nutrition reports that in four-year clinical trial | | | | observed that the correlation between low D |
| involving 1,179 healthy post-menopausal women | | | | vitamin levels and depression were unmistakable. |
| showed that improving calcium and vitamin D | | | | Boosts energy and improves physical |
| nutritional status substantially reduced all-cancer | | | | performance Feelings of fatigue are among the |
| risk in postmenopausal women. | | | | symptoms of D vitamin deficiency, and recent |
| Deficiencies linked to bacterial infections in | | | | research by the Wake Forest University School |
| pregnant women Another University of Pittsburgh | | | | of Medicine pinpoints the importance of sufficient |
| study indicated that there was a strong | | | | levels of the vitamin for improving performance |
| correlation between low levels of the vitamin and | | | | among older people. |
| the incidence of bacterial vaginosis in the more | | | | The study analyzed data from 976 people aged |
| than 460 pregnant women participating in the | | | | 65 and older. The study found that physical |
| research. Bacterial vaginosis is one of the primary | | | | performance, which included factors such as |
| causes of premature delivery and fetal death. | | | | walking speed, grip strength, and ability to rise |
| A total of 41 percent of the study participants | | | | from a sitting position to standing, was 10 percent |
| were diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis, and 93 | | | | lower among participants with deficient blood |
| percent of the women with the infection had | | | | levels of the vitamin. |
| insufficient levels of the vitamin. It was further | | | | |