Vitamin D (Fab Five, part 4)

The “Fab Five” is not necessarily in the order of importance, but if it was, then this one would make a good run to hold the number one spot. Everyone associates Vitamin D with Rickets due to the role it plays in our ability to absorb calcium, but it does so much more. Here are just a few things Vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with (autoimmune diseases, weight gain, hypertension, psoriasis, eczema, insomnia, hearing loss, muscle pain, periodontal disease, athletic performance, age related macular degeneration, myopia, pre eclampsia, seizures, fertility, asthma, cystic fibrosis, migraines, depression, alzheimer’s and schizophrenia).


 photo by Life Mental Health
Some very good studies have shown that Vitamin D may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers such as breast, colon and prostate. If you’re a geek like I am, then give this study a read (http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/6/264/). They looked at 3 million incidents of cancer and 3 million cancer deaths, and compared that against UV-B exposure by location.   Vitamin D...

Widespread Deficiencies in Vitamin D Bring Cloudy Days

Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. It is produced in our skin when we are in sunlight and, in fact, we actually get very little of this vitamin from the food we eat. As a result, you might think that it is one of the last vitamins we should be worrying about when it comes to deficiencies of nutritional substances; however, a recent report shows that worldwide more and more people are suffering from low levels of this vitamin. The consequences of deficiencies are significant. This particular vitamin works together with calcium and is important, not only for keeping our organs in peak condition, but also for the normal development and strength of bones. Low levels of the vitamin in adults can increase the risk of osteoporosis and hip fractures. In children, it can lead to rickets which is where the bones become soft and can fracture or even become deformed.

Deficiencies On The Increase Around The Globe

This recent research was undertaken by the expert working group of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and was published in Osteoporosis International. In the study, the group researched the incidence...

Know Vitamin D…No Cancer

Vitamin D is one of the fat soluble vitamins that research published in July 2009 states may have cancer suppressing properties. Various forms of the vitamin have been discovered each with many similar properties and benefits. In addition to their common effects, the variants have been found to play specific roles in the body. The two main variants in humans are D2 and D3. It often is referred to as the sun vitamin because exposing the skin to direct sunlight allows the body to absorb and create the vitamin in necessary quantities. As people age, their requirement for it increases, as does the requirement for supplementation for those with limited sun exposure. Many foods are now supplemented with a form of the vitamin in order to help prevent deficiencies. These fortified foods may be in milk products, cereals, grains, juices, and are also naturally present in fatty fish, and mushrooms that have been exposed to radiation. In fact, the Sun Bella is a new form of mushroom that has USDA clearance and provides a considerable amount (400 IU) of the vitamin. Because the body stores...

Vitamin D Tops for Reducing the Risk of Fractures in Older Adults

Recent studies have shown that older adults can reduce the risk of non-vertebral (non-spinal) bone fractures by as much as 20% and that of hip fractures by up to 18% by taking vitamin D supplements. Although there have been several clinical trials around this possibility in the past, it is only a recent meta-analysis that has provided conclusive evidence of the link. (A meta-analysis is where the results of several studies on a related topic are combined.) Up until now, a number of factors have hindered acceptable findings, namely: participants not following the required treatment program, the use of a different form of the vitamin (ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2) which is weaker, or the use of doses that are too low to be effective. The meta-analysis was based on previous studies which had looked at the benefits of oral supplements of the vitamin in adults upwards of 65 years old. There were 12 studies with a total of 42,279 subjects where the average age was 78 years. 40,886 of these were considered specifically for hip fractures. In each case neither the participants nor the researchers were aware...