The Scientific Link Between Vitamin D & Parkinson's Disease Risk

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects mobility, sleep, speech, memory, and more. The most widely known symptoms are tremors and difficulties with motor function, like walking and making facial expressions.

PD progresses due to the death of dopaminergic neurons (i.e., brain cells that synthesize the neurotransmitter dopamine), partially due to the development of Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are responsible for damaging DNA and depleting ATP in the brain, which subsequently leads to further cell death, neuronal loss, and reduced ability to produce dopamine.

Lower vitamin D status is consistently associated with Parkinson's disease.

According to a 2022 Brain Sciences review, approximately 26% of PD patients1 are deficient in vitamin D, while a whopping 69% are insufficient in the essential vitamin. (For perspective: When it comes to U.S. adults overall, 29% and 41%2 are vitamin D deficient and insufficient, respectively.) 

In a 2019 case-control study published in the Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, scientists found significant correlations between vitamin D status and both motor and cognitive function in PD patients.

To achieve truly optimal vitamin D levels (i.e., 50 ng/ml), research suggests the average person needs to consume 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

Unfortunately, food sources and sunlight simply don't offer adequate amounts of vitamin D to help you reach these serum levels. 

In total, approximately 95% of Parkinson's disease patients are failing to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. While research on vitamin D's exact role in PD pathways is still ongoing, evidence suggests the essential vitamin plays a big role in supporting dopamine synthesis and neuroprotection.