Vitamin D and Osteoarthritis

    Although no one knows what causes osteoarthritis (the breakdown of joint cartilage), there is new evidence linking low levels of vitamin D with the progress of the disease.

    Research reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that people with osteoarthritis of the knee, who also had low vitamin D levels, were three times more likely to have a worsened condition over a period of years than those whose intake was adequate.

    Researchers suspect that low levels of the vitamin harm the repair mechanism in bone. Although osteoarthritis has long been seen as a disease of cartilage, scientists now believe that changes in bone also play a role in its progression.

    People with osteoarthritis of the knee who have low blood levels of D could benefit from increased dietary intake and exposure to sunlight. Good sources of vitamin D include milk, fatty fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks.

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