A new study from the Newcastle University has shown that Vitamin D deficiency can be treated with supplements and in turn boost energy levels, according to Medical Xpress.
Vitamin D deficiency normally leads to soft bones, rickets or skeletal deformities. It protects the body from a host of health disorders. The main source of Vitmin D is sunlight. Few food items are also rich in Vitamin D such as fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and fortified cereals.
Vitamin D deficiency can also be treated effectively with supplements. Vitamin D deficiency is common among people with dark skin, weak and elderly people and children below age 5. More than 60 percent of population in the U.K. suffers from the malady
Researchers in this study showed that Vitamin D deficiency can be treated with relevant supplements and in return enhance the energy levels in the body by improving the activity of the mitochondria, 'power stations' found in each cell.
Dr. Akash Sinha, who works at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital's NHS Foundation Trust, led the study. The study included 12 patients with severe Vitamin D deficiency. These patients were scanned using the non-invasive magnetic resonance to measure the response to exercise before and after the treatment. Dr Sinha said that these scans helped them to monitor the function of muscles as they worked.
"Examining this small group of patients with vitamin D deficiency who experienced symptoms of muscle fatigue, we found that those with very low vitamin D levels improved their muscle efficiency significantly when their vitamin D levels were improved," Dr. Sinha said.
Researchers found a significant improvement among the patients after they were treated with oral Vitamin D for 10-12 weeks. Patients experienced less fatigue after the treatment. Another study showed that deficiency of Vitamin D affected the function of mitochondria; hence researchers were able to relate that Vitamin D supplement improved the mitochondrial function.
"Of the patients I see, around 60% are vitamin D deficient and most people living north of Manchester will struggle to process enough vitamin D from sunlight alone, particularly during winter and spring. So a simple vitamin D tablet could help boost your energy levels - from within the cells," Dr Sinha said.
