If you always feel dizzy, have ringing sounds in the ears, or find your body or environment moving, you are probably having vertigo, a kind of disease that is pretty common among people.
Vertigo can cause much trouble for people’s life. Fortunately, there seems to be some hope in the prevention of this disease. According to a study recently published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, if you take vitamin D and calcium twice a day, you are likely to reduce the chances of getting vertigo again.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a common type of vertigo that happens when the change in head position renders people a sudden sense of spinning. Currently, the treatment of this disease usually depends on a doctor to perform several head movements in order to shift the particles in the ears which results in the spinning.
However, the condition of the vertigo is prone to recur even after the treatment. It is said that more than 3/4 of people with this type of vertigo find the recurrence happen so frequently that it greatly influences their daily life and work.
Luckily, now they may try to take in some vitamin D to get out of the trouble with a relatively low price.
The vitamin D study
About 957 people who had their benign paroxysmal positional vertigo successfully treated took part in the study. They were generally separated into two groups: intervention group and observation group.
- The participants in the intervention group had vitamin D levels measured at the beginning of the study.
- The group was further divided into two sub-groups. People with low vitamin D levels were given supplements with vitamin D and calcium twice a day, while those in the other sub-group did not take the supplements.
- Those in the observation group, by comparison, were not given any supplements, nor had their vitamin D levels monitored.
The result showed that people in the intervention group with supplements had a relatively lower rate of vertigo recurrence compared with those in the observation group. Within the intervention group, people who were given supplements had an even higher rate of vertigo reduction than those without supplements.
However, the study is limited due to many participants’ dropping out of the experiment. But the study still manages to point out a cheaper, low-risk, and could-be-effective way out for people who are still suffering from the disorder.
Food alternatives
If you don't like to take supplements, here are some natural foods recommended that are rich in vitamin D and calcium.
Sardines
Sardines contain rich vitamin D and calcium (about 351 milligrams in one 3.75-ounce can). The fish can be quite delicate for salads and pastas.
Milk
One cup of milk contains about 30% of the calcium of your daily requirement plus rich vitamin D. Seems that it can not only help you develop strong bones, but also prevent you from feeling dizzy!
Egg yolks
Egg yolks are a great source of vitamin D. Besides, they are also amazingly nutritious.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms can synthesize vitamin D when exposed to UV light. Notice that they only produce vitamin D2, which is less effective compared with vitamin D3, though it can still help raise your blood level of vitamin D.
Feeling dizzy can be annoying and may influence your daily life and work. Try the recommended supplements or food alternatives to reduce your risk of vertigo.
