AUTHOR=Xu Jing , Li Jia , Sun Ya-juan , Quan Wei , Qin Yi-dan , Song Jia , Chen Jia-jun 

TITLE=Effect of vitamin D supplementation on motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1500875

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2025.1500875

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=IntroductionLower serum vitamin D levels may associate with higher motor symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study aimed to test the efficacy of supplemental vitamin D on ameliorating motor symptoms in PD, which is the most comprehensive study to assess the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and PD motor symptoms to date.MethodsAn electronic literature search supplemented by hand searching up to Sep 2024 identified 8 randomized controlled trials involving 646 cases of PD. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PD were assessed through pooling the collected data from eligible studies using Stata software.ResultsThe results indicated that supplemental vitamin D did not reduce the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III score (WMD=-0.56, 95% CI=[-2.34, 1.23]), 10/8 m walk test time (WMD=0.59, 95% CI=[-0.46, 1.64]) and timed up and go (TUG) test time (WMD=-0.57, 95% CI=[-1.45, 0.31]). A statistically significant benefit of supplemental vitamin D was observed on 6-Minute walking test distance (WMD=24.85, 95% CI=[6.54, 43.16]).DiscussionThis meta-analysis suggested that supplemental vitamin D may extend 6-Minute walking test distance, improve partial motor symptoms. Vitamin D supplementation may play an active inhibitory role in the mechanisms of the development of PD