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Research Says This Essential Vitamin Can Help Prevent Inflammatory Diseases

Author:

Sarah Regan

October 03, 2024

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

Portrait of a Young Woman Standing in The Sunshine

Image by David Prado / Stocksy

October 03, 2024

As we learn more and more about health and longevity, there's one standout health factor that is continuously shown to increase your risk of disease: inflammation.

And according to research published in the journal PLOS One1, when it comes to combating inflammation, there's one mighty vitamin you don't want to miss. Here's what to know.

Studying the connection between vitamin D and C-reactive protein

For this study, researchers wanted to investigate the connection between vitamin D levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) in older adults. CRP is a protein produced by the liver that increases when there's inflammation present in the body.

"Research studies have observed associations of vitamin D with inflammation, but data in representative older adult studies is lacking," the study authors explain.

The research involved assessing the levels of both vitamin D and CRP in over 5,000 Irish adults over the age of 50, accounting for any confounding variables. Their analysis revealed that participants who were deficient in vitamin D had a higher status of CRP.

"In conclusion, older adults with deficient vitamin D status had higher levels of inflammation as measured by CRP," the study authors write, adding that given inflammation is an important pathological driver of chronic diseases of aging, plus the fact that research shows vitamin D therapy can reduce inflammation in some disease settings, "optimising vitamin D status could represent an effective low-risk/low-cost pathway to modulate inflammation in community-dwelling older adults."

What to do about it

It's no secret that vitamin D is an essential vitamin for so many of the body's processes, and managing inflammation could very well be one of them—so it's a good idea to get more of it.

Most people think of sunshine and fortified foods when they think vitamin D. And while both are pieces of the puzzle, it's unlikely that getting outside and drinking milk will leave you with optimal vitamin D levels. Luckily, vitamin D supplements can help fill the gap.

If you're going to start incorporating some into your routine, you'll want to go for a quality, research-backed vitamin D supplement with the recommended daily value or more, plus targeted ingredients for absorption. (Here's a roundup of our top picks if you're curious.)

The takeaway

Inflammatory diseases are becoming increasingly common—as is vitamin D deficiency. And according to this research, the two could go hand in hand, so consider this one more reason to get outside (and remember to take your vitamin D).