Those with lowest levels have three times the risk
Low levels of vitamin D, the so-called sunshine vitamin, can increase a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease later in life, according to Finnish researchers. In a study of 3,000 people, the team found that those with lowest levels of the vitamin had three times the risk. The team looked at vitamin D levels between 1978 and 1980, using blood samples. Vitamin D helps calcium uptake and bone formation, and also seems to help regulate the immune system and develop the nervous system; but as people age, their skin becomes less able to produce it. Vitamin D might help protect nerve cells lost in people with the disease, according to the BBC. Experts suggest further research is required to see if taking a dietary supplement, or spending more time in the sunlight, could have a positive effect on Parkinson’s.