I feel like I hear a lot about vitamin D these days.  It is linked to so many different health conditions and many of us have a vitamin D deficiency.  Different diets, like avoiding eggs, meat, and dairy can cause vitamin D deficiency as can avoiding the sun (or at least wearing a lot of sunscreen).  Vitamin D helps muscles work better- could it help your bladder (which is a big muscle)?

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.  These nutrients help keep bones, teeth, and muscle healthy.  Vitamin D is naturally found in some foods like fish, fish oil and eggs.  Other foods, like milk, have vitamin D added to them.  Your body makes vitamin D when the sunlight touches your skin.   About a third of adults in the US have vitamin D deficiency (defined as 25(OH)D<50nmol/l). If you want more information on vitamin D, click here.

What happens when vitamin D is low?

A prolonged and severe vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets in children which causes the softening and weakening of bones.  This is rare in the US.  More mild vitamin D deficiencies can cause bone pain and muscle weakness.  Right now, lots of researchers are looking at vitamin D and how it impacts health.  Currently, there are associations between vitamin D deficiency and heart issues, memory loss, cancers, and bladder issues.

Vitamin D and the bladder

Vitamin D receptors have been found in the bladder and the pelvic floor musculature.  These receptors modify how the cells use calcium and have several effects.  First, having enough vitamin D may help relax the bladder.  Second, a lack of vitamin D may cause bladder muscle spasm and cause overactive bladder symptoms. Vitamin D receptors are also found in the pelvic floor muscles.   It is plausible that increased levels of vitamin D may positively impact pelvic floor muscle function and improve the way the muscles contract.  This could help correct bladder leaking.  There have been several studies that have looked at vitamin D levels and lower urinary tract symptoms (we call these symptoms LUTS).  These symptoms include peeing frequently, peeing at night, having a strong urge to pee, and leaking because of this urge.

What has research shown about vitamin D and the bladder?

• Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) by 11%
• Taking vitamin D decreases the risk of LUTS
• Taking vitamin D has been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of urinary incontinence episodes
• Vitamin D supplementation improves incontinence in men and women but has a stronger effect in women
• Vitamin D deficiency has less of an impact on the continence of Asisan women

The US Preventative Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend screening for vitamin D deficiency in people who don’t have symptoms.  They also found that taking an advised amount of vitamin D as a supplement has little risk.  So think about your symptoms and consider talking to your health care provider about vitamin D.  It is unlikely to be the whole answer, but it may be part of the solution!

Yuan P et al.  Systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between vitamin D status and lower urinary tract symptoms.  J Urol 2020Nov 18;101097JU0000000000001441.doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000001441. Online ahead of print

Liu X et al. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among US adults:prevalence,predictors and clinical implications.  Br J Nutr 2018;119(8):928-36.

USPSTF. Summaries for patients. Screening for vitamin D deficiency in adults:USPSTF recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2015;162(2):1-28.