# Severe Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Higher Death Rates

_Evidence Level: Preliminary · Israel A et al., Aging cell, DOI 10.1111/acel.70752_

*Vitamin D Deficiency, Supplementation, and Aging-Related Morbidity and Mortality Across Two Longitudinal Population Cohorts.*

- **Evidence Level**: Preliminary
- **Why this grade**: A retrospective health record analysis with very large numbers and US validation, but without randomization, so residual confounding remains possible.
- **Facts**: Duration: 10 years · Funding: Leumit Health Services (internal funding)
- **Publication Types**: Journal Article
- **Journal**: Aging cell
- **Sample Size**: 468,500+ adults in Israel; 223,175 US pairs
- **Authors**: Israel A, Weizman A, Israel S, Ashkenazi S, Ruppin E, Magen E, Merzon E, Vinker S
- **Graded and published**: 2026-10-01
- **Last edited**: 2026-10-12
- **Topics**: Vitamin D, Mortality, Supplements
- **DOI**: https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.70752
- **Free full text**: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13650182/
- **Original Source**: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42850752/

## Summary

Adults with severe vitamin D deficiency, below 10 ng/mL, died considerably more often than people with levels above 30 ng/mL in two large health record systems. The team analyzed blood tests from more than 468,500 adults in an Israeli health organization and checked the result in 223,175 matched pairs from a US research network. Participants averaged about 54 years and were followed for up to 10 years. People who purchased vitamin D products at the pharmacy also died less often, and the more they obtained, the lower their mortality. These records cannot prove cause and effect: a dispensed pack is not proof of intake, and earlier randomized trials gave inconsistent results.

## Practical Takeaway

Severe vitamin D deficiency below 10 ng/mL was tied to clearly higher mortality in both Israeli and US health records.

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_Canonical: https://longevity-germany.com/en/research/severe-vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-higher-death-rates · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-10-12_