Vitamin D Deficiency Is Major Problem Among Europeans

Europeans reportedly are alarmingly deficient in vitamin D, a nutrient that is essential to the immune system, calcium absorption and other biological processes, researchers in Spain have found. Scientists believe the ideal plasma level of vitamin D is at least 30 ng/ml, but the level in as many as 50 to 70 percent of Europeans is much lower than that, putting them at risk of many diseases and disorders. In menopausal women, a vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, loss of motor coordination and bone fractures. The researchers suggest that vitamin D supplementation would help reduce the risk, especially among postmenopausal women.