Alternative Health Blog

In a study involving predominantly white patients with Parkinson's disease, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and controls, a significant percentage of patients with Parkinson's disease (55%) were found to have insufficient vitamin D status, as compared to healthy controls (36%) and as compared to patients with Alzheimer's disease (41%). Patients with Parkinson's disease were found to have significantly lower mean plasma 25(OH)D concentrations (31.9 ng/mL), as compared to controls (37.0 ng/mL) and as compared to patients with Alzheimer's disease (34.8 ng/mL). The results of this study suggest that hypovitaminosis D is quite prevalent in patients with Parkinson's disease. The authors conclude, "Further studies are needed to…elucidate the potential role of vitamin D in pathogenesis and clinical course of PD."
 
Reference:
"Prevalence of vitamin d insufficiency in patients with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease," Evatt ML, Delong MR, et al, Arch Neurol, 2008; 65(10): 1348-52.