Importance of Vitamin D in muscle health

Vitamin D has been demonstrated to be crucial for calcium homeostasis and bone health. In a direct manner, it also has significant effects on skeletal muscle. In contrast to other vitamins, vitamin D can be produced by the body when exposed to sunlight. Recent research has revealed that vitamin D may also have a number of significant advantages for the muscles in addition to its well-known critical role in maintaining healthy bones and mineral levels.

Adults with vitamin D deficiency have long been known to experience severe muscle weakness and morphological changes in their muscles. These reports have been supplemented by numerous studies looking at how vitamin D affects groups that are primarily elderly and deficient in the vitamin, including muscle strength and mass as well as falls1.

It has been investigated whether vitamin D is as important for muscle growth as it is for bone health by looking at the benefits it has on humans2.

Lack of vitamin D can cause muscle soreness and general fatigue, which can prevent you from recovering from workouts quickly and gaining strength. But to what extent does ingesting the proper quantity of this nutrient matter?

In one study3, participants aged 18-45 were monitored for 6 weeks to 4 months while taking 400 IU to 8,500 IU of vitamin D daily. Test subjects maximum single-repetition strength for a specific exercise was used to gauge their strength and, consequently, the impact of vitamin D on muscle strength.

It was found to be beneficial for a number of muscle function measurements. Amazingly, everyone in this trial who took vitamin D3 reported a significant increase in their physical stamina.

Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on Muscle Health

Muscles need vitamin D to function properly. A lack of vitamin D results in proximal weakness and decreased muscular mass. Patients who experience pain or weakness in their muscles can receive vitamin D therapy. Vitamin D supplements can also be advantageous for the elderly4. Theoretically, osteomalacia is a bone condition which arises due to a lack of vitamin D (calcium and phosphate). However, particularly in young infants, this condition is frequently accompanied by symptoms of muscle weakness, discomfort, and hypotonia. Adults who are severely deficient in vitamin D (20 nmol/l) experience proximal myopathy which is a severe weakness, especially in the upper and lower limbs. Milder cases of vitamin D deficiency may not affect muscle function as much, but they still raise the risk of falling, slow muscle ageing, and impair athletic performance5.

Reference:

  1. Girgis, C. M., Clifton-Bligh, R. J., Hamrick, M. W., Holick, M. F. & Gunton, J. E. The Roles of Vitamin D in Skeletal Muscle: Form, Function, and Metabolism. Endocrine Reviews 34, 33–83 (2013).
  2. Gunton, J. E. & Girgis, C. M. Vitamin D and muscle. Bone Rep 8, 163–167 (2018).
  3. Chiang, C.-M., Ismaeel, A., Griffis, R. B. & Weems, S. Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Muscle Strength in Athletes: A Systematic Review. J Strength Cond Res 31, 566–574 (2017).
  4. Which Vitamins Are Good for Muscle Health?: Health One Family Medicine: Family Medicine. Learn more.
  5. Wicherts, I. S. et al. Vitamin D status predicts physical performance and its decline in older persons. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 92, 2058–2065 (2007).