How can vitamin D deficiency contribute to muscle wasting and weakness?

Vitamin D deficiency contributes to muscle wasting and weakness primarily through the marked atrophy of type 2 muscle fibers. While the precise mechanisms are not fully understood, it appears that the vitamin D metabolite 25-hydroxycholecalciferol plays a significant role in regulating the resting energy state of muscle tissue and influencing protein turnover.1

Unlike many inherited muscle conditions, muscle weakness caused by endocrine and metabolic factors such as vitamin D deficiency is often considered eminently treatable. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D is essential for overall health, as the body relies on this nutrient for various metabolic processes, including the regulation of calcium and phosphate.12