Clinical Benefits

• Maintains healthy immune function: Vitamin D has been shown to play an important role in regulating the immune system. 1,25 (OH)₂D3 suppresses most elements of the adaptive immune system whilst inducing most elements of the innate immune system.¹ By inducing the innate immune system, vitamin D enhances the response to both bacterial and viral agents, by promoting differentiation and activity of macrophages. Vitamin D has also been shown to influence the cytokine production of immune cells, supressing the release of IL-2, IFN-y and TNF-α, the products of the TH-1 line of cells.²
• Vitamin D helps calcium absorption: Vitamin D is involved in the efficiency of intestinal calcium absorption and also in the parathyroid hormone regulation of serum calcium levels.^2,3 In a low vitamin D state, the intestine absorbs 10% – 15% of dietary calcium compared to 30% to 40% with adequate vitamin D levels.⁴
• A meta-analysis of 12 randomised controlled trials has shown vitamin D to reduce the risk of fractures in the elderly. Vitamin D significantly reduced the risk of hip fracture by 26% and non-vertebral fracture by 23%.⁵ Alongside adequate calcium consumption, vitamin D may help to reduce the risk of falls that leads to fractures, by playing a role in musculoskeletal function. Vitamin D has been shown to have direct effects on muscular function, modulated by specific vitamin D receptors present on human muscle tissue. In a separate, double-blind RCT, vitamin D taken with calcium significantly improved musculoskeletal function, reducing the amount of falls in older adults by 49% over 3 months.⁴