Parkinson's diseaseVitamin D levels

A study of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients in the southeastern U.S. found the following: 

Significantly more patients with PD (55%) had insufficient vitamin D than did controls (36%) or patients with AD (41%; P = 0.02, chi(2)test). The mean (SD) 25(OH)D concentration in the PD cohort was significantly lower than in the AD and control cohorts (31.9 [13.6] ng/mL vs 34.8 [15.4] ng/mL and 37.0 [14.5] ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.03)1.

However, in a study such as this, it is not clear whether the disease condition contributed to the serum 25(OH)D status.

In a study in Finland:

During the 29-year follow-up period, 50 incident Parkinson disease cases occurred. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was determined from frozen samples stored at baseline. Estimates of the relationship between serum vitamin D concentration and Parkinson disease incidence were calculated using the Cox model. Individuals with higher serum vitamin D concentrations showed a reduced risk of Parkinson disease. The relative risk between the highest and lowest quartiles was 0.33 (95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.80) after adjustment for sex, age, marital status, education, alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activity, smoking, body mass index, and month of blood draw2.

Those with PD generally have lower serum 25(OH)D levels, which results in increased risk of osteoporosis3. Yoshihiro Sato published a series of papers on bone problems for those with PD4 5 6 7 8 9.

Page last edited: 03 May 2011

References

  1. Evatt, M. L. Delong, M. R. Khazai, N. Rosen, A. Triche, S. Tangpricha, V. Prevalence of vitamin d insufficiency in patients with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2008 Oct; 65 (10): 1348-52.
  2. Knekt, P. Kilkkinen, A. Rissanen, H. Marniemi, J. Saaksjarvi, K. Heliovaara, M. Serum vitamin D and the risk of Parkinson disease. Arch Neurol. 2010 Jul; 67 (7): 808-11.
  3. Invernizzi, M. Carda, S. Viscontini, G. S. Cisari, C. Osteoporosis in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2009 Jun; 15 (5): 339-46.
  4. Sato, Y. Kikuyama, M. Oizumi, K. High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and reduced bone mass in Parkinson's disease. Neurology. 1997 Nov; 49 (5): 1273-8.
  5. Sato, Y. Manabe, S. Kuno, H. Oizumi, K. Amelioration of osteopenia and hypovitaminosis D by 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 in elderly patients with Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1999 Jan; 66 (1): 64-8.
  6. Sato, Y. Kaji, M. Tsuru, T. Satoh, K. Kondo, I. Vitamin K deficiency and osteopenia in vitamin D-deficient elderly women with Parkinson's disease. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 Jan; 83 (1): 86-91.
  7. Sato, Y. Honda, Y. Iwamoto, J. Kanoko, T. Satoh, K. Abnormal bone and calcium metabolism in immobilized Parkinson's disease patients. Mov Disord. 2005 Dec; 20 (12): 1598-603.
  8. Sato, Y. Iwamoto, J. Kanoko, T. Satoh, K. Alendronate and vitamin D2 for prevention of hip fracture in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial. Mov Disord. 2006 Jul; 21 (7): 924-9.
  9. Sato, Y. Honda, Y. Iwamoto, J. Risedronate and ergocalciferol prevent hip fracture in elderly men with Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2007 Mar 20; 68 (12): 911-5.