Health

New Uni SA study reveals effect of Vitamin D deficiency on living a long life

Vitamin D is an important factor in health and new research from the University of SA says deficiency is at an all-time high.

Staying inside and rugging up may sound cosy but soaking up sun and receiving vitamin D is becoming a surprisingly important factor in health. With new research from the University of South Australia it’s come to light that a deficiency of vitamins received from sunshine is at an all-time high.

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps maintain good health and keep our bones and muscles strong and healthy but despite our Australian summers one in three Australian adults suffer from mild, moderate or severe vitamin D deficiency.
 
First author and UniSA PhD candidate, Josh Sutherland, believes that vitamin D is connected to livelihood it has been challenging to establish contributory effects.
 
“While severe vitamin D deficiency is rarer in Australia than elsewhere in the world, it can still affect those who have health vulnerabilities, the elderly, and those who do not acquire enough vitamin D from healthy sun exposure and dietary sources,” Sutherland says.
 
The study is the first of its kind to use a new genetic method through affirming the relationship in an observational setting and it’s already showing strong evidence in the analysis for vitamin D deficiency which is also including respiratory diseases as an outcome from the health concern.  
 
“Vitamin D deficiency has been connected with mortality, but as clinical trials have often failed to recruit people with low vitamin D levels – or have been prohibited from including vitamin deficient participants – it’s been challenging to establish causal relationships.”
 
Senior investigator and Director of UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision HealthProfessor Elina Hyppönen, says more research is now needed to establish effective public health strategies that can help achieve national guidelines with combatting low vitamin D levels.
 
“The take-home message here is simple – the key is in the prevention. It is not good enough to think about vitamin D deficiency when facing life-challenging situations, when early action could make all the difference,” Prof Hyppönen says.
 
“It is very important to continue public health efforts to ensure the vulnerable and elderly maintain sufficient vitamin D levels throughout the year.”

This is your sure sign to get out this weekend and soak up some sun at an event or getaway and get those vitamin D levels up. Rejuvenate and bring those levels up to keep your life happy and healthy.

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