A study published in the journal Calcified Tissue International has associated Vitamin D deficiency with up to a 78 percent reduction in muscle strength.

The study highlights the dangers of dynapenia, the loss of muscle strength.

In this article, we’ll examine the results of the study, and you’ll learn how Vitamin D can play a role in both building healthier bones and maintaining strong and functional muscles.

The Vitamin D And Muscle Strength Connection

The study followed 2,205 non-dynapenic participants aged 50 years and older for 15 years to learn about the relationship between Vitamin D and muscle strength.¹
Researchers assessed the muscle strength and Vitamin D levels of participants using grip strength and blood tests.

The study found that participants with less than 30 nanomoles of vitamin D per liter of blood had a 70 percent greater risk of muscle weakness than those with more than 50 nanomoles of Vitamin D per liter.

For participants with conditions associated with reduced Vitamin D levels, such as osteoporosis, the risk of muscle weakness rose to 78 percent.

This study highlights the risk of Vitamin D deficiency and suggests that people experiencing bone loss may face additional risks.¹

Synopsis

A study followed 2,205 participants aged 50 and over with regular muscle strength for 15 years, comparing their muscle strength and Vitamin D levels. The researchers found that people with lower vitamin D levels had a 70 percent greater risk of muscle weakness.

Dynapenia Versus Sarcopenia

Dynapenia is a loss of muscle strength. This descriptive term is different from sarcopenia, which describes the loss of muscle mass.

The difference is important because it allows us to separate the issues of reduced muscle mass and reduced muscle strength.

These two problems were once thought to be one and the same. However, recent studies have shown that muscle strength can drop at a rate that far outpaces muscle mass, suggesting that there are other factors at play.²

Researchers have pointed to possible neurological causes of loss of strength. For example, the nervous system may lose the ability to fully activate muscle due to a reduction in the functionality of motor neurons.²

Muscle mass is crucial for bone remodeling specifically due to the force that those muscles apply to bones, according to Wollf’s law. Without sufficient strength to apply thist force, the muscle mass alone cannot stimulate bone growth. Therefore, dynapenia poses the same threat to bone development as sarcopenia.

Furthermore, dynapenia is associated with falls, which is not surprising given that it tracks a loss of strength. Falls are the primary causes of fracture, making dynapenia a significant risk factor for individuals with low bone strength.

Synopsis

Dynapenia is the loss of muscle strength while sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass. Recent study suggests that strength can be lost independently of muscle mass, perhaps due to neurological changes. This loss of strength threatens the ability to build bone and avoid falls and fractures.

Vitamin D For Muscle Strength

Vitamin D is well known for its role in bone health, but an increasing amount of medical literature is pointing to its importance for building and maintaining strong muscles.

The study linking Vitamin D deficiency and dynapenia illustrates this link. Maintaining adequate Vitamin D levels is essential for building strong bones, in part perhaps because of the role it plays in muscle strength.

At the Save Institute, we recommend doing a yearly blood test to check Vitamin D levels. This practice allows for the adjustment of daily dosages.

Vitamin D is a Foundation Supplement in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. We recommend 2000 IU daily of D3 (cholecalciferol) subject to adjustments depending on blood levels. D3 is the most absorbable form of Vitamin D because it’s the one we synthesize from the sun.

Vitamin D2, the plant-derived form added to milk and often prescribed in large doses by doctors, is less absorbable. Unfortunately, chances are your doctor doesn’t know this. You may need to advocate for yourself by starting a conversation with your doctor about the best form of Vitamin D for your muscle strength and bone health.

Synopsis

Vitamin D plays a role in building and maintaining strong muscles as well as bones. The Save Institute recommends a yearly blood test to check Vitamin D levels, and suggests a daily intake of at least 2000 IU daily of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), subject to the blood test.

What This Means To You

Vitamin D is essential for avoiding the dangers of dynapenia. It's also just part of a larger set of behaviors that your body needs to stay healthy.

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program takes the necessary holistic approach to maintaining good health while building stronger bones. It incorporates diet and supplementation– including Vitamin D3– along with regular exercise and other simple lifestyle habits.

Stay strong and keep your body fully functional to lead a long and independent life.

References

¹ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00223-022-01021-8

² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3571692/