As we age, our joints can become creakier than a fleet of haunted pirate ships. They can also become subject to all sorts of unpleasant aches and pains. The knee is one of the body’s most useful joints, often used to kick pesky soccer balls and to traverse winding staircases. So if you ever want to play soccer on the second floor of a building, you’re going to need your knees in tip-top shape. When the natural cushioning in the joints wears away, the bones will rub against each other. This uncomfortable condition that afflicts over 27 million people is known as osteoarthritis, and it may be somewhat preventable if a new USDA-sponsored study has anything to say about it.
The recent study looked at the lives of over 400 people with at least one osteoarthritic knee during a period of four years and found a link between vitamin D levels, the parathyroid hormone and osteoarthritis. The volunteers with low levels of vitamin D had more than a 50% greater chance of their condition worsening when compared to those who had healthy levels of the vitamin. Those who had low levels of both the parathyroid hormone and vitamin D were three times as likely to see deterioration in comparison to someone with healthy levels of both.
The daily recommended dosage of vitamin D is 600 IUs. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of Americans don’t get enough vitamin D. But do not worry. The AIM Companies offers vitamin D in CalciAIM, which provides 70% of your RDA of Vitamin D.