Vitamin D for osteoarthritis (OA) of knee joint

Vitamin D is crucial for overall health.

In addition to other role it plays in the body, vitamin D helps maintain strong bones, regulate immune activity and reduce inflammation.

New evidence suggests that vitamin D may prevent or delay onset of knee OA (osteoarthritis) – a painful medical condition that affects millions of people all over the world.

A study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism (May 2009) found that higher vitamin D levels may be associated with less cartilage loss in the knee over a three-year period.

The researchers stated that their data suggested that getting enough vitamin D may slow worsening of knee OA.

In another study it was found that knee OA progressed rapidly if vitamin D levels were less than 36 ng/ml.

Vitamin D is a powerhouse when it comes to general health, and research indicates that it could have specific benefits for knee OA as well.

Let your doctor recommend a blood check to determine your vitamin D levels to decide if you need to take additional vitamin D in a supplement.

Take vitamin D supplements under medical supervision – being a fat soluble vitamin it could reach toxic levels if intake is not monitored.