Vitamin D and Muscle Function
Vitamin D plays a regulatory role in muscle function by influencing muscle cell development, contraction, and repair. Rather than acting as a stimulant, vitamin D helps maintain normal muscle performance by supporting signalling pathways involved in muscle strength, coordination, and recovery.
Vitamin D receptors are present in skeletal muscle tissue, allowing vitamin D signalling to influence muscle fibre composition and neuromuscular communication. Adequate vitamin D availability supports efficient muscle contraction and helps maintain balance and physical stability over time.
Because muscle tissue is highly responsive to metabolic and hormonal signals, vitamin D contributes to muscle function indirectly by regulating calcium handling, energy use, and cellular signalling rather than acting on muscle tissue in isolation.
Understanding the relationship between vitamin D and muscle helps explain why deficiency is associated with muscle weakness, reduced coordination, and increased risk of falls. Vitamin D supports muscle performance by shaping the biological environment in which muscle activity occurs.
This page focuses on muscle function as one outcome of vitamin D physiology. Later sections explore how muscle health interacts with age, activity level, and nutrient status to influence overall physical resilience and mobility.