Vitamin D Deficiency Increases Death Risk

Low levels of vitamin D may be associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a recently published study.
The study found that each 10 ng/mL increment in 25(OH)D levels was associated with a 37% and 41% decreased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. More...

Pregnant women at risk of Vitamin D deficiency

All pregnant women should be tested for vitamin D deficiency and those found to be deficient should be treated, experts have warned. More...

Low vitamin D associated with early sign of cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV

The research showed a significant relationship between vitamin D insufficiency and thickening of the carotid artery.

“To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the association between vitamin D status and atherosclerotic vascular disease, measured by cIMT [carotid intima-media thickness], in HIV-infected persons,” comment the authors. More... 

Vitamin D deficiency and socioeconomic costs

Research on the socioeconomic consequences of vitamin D deficiency is growing, and a number of studies published to date indicate a significant cost saving potential for European health care systems if the issue of vitamin D deficiency were to be addressed and solved effectively. Based on global research and 2008 data, the cost saving potential can be extrapolated to reach €165 billion for 17 countries in Europe. For the US, the corresponding cost reduction could amount to €280 million. More...

Reducing Fractures in the European Population

There is strong evidence that a causal link exists between sufficient vitamin D supplementation and a reduction of falls and fractures, in all an estimated 20% curtailment of broken bones could be seen. 25(OH)D levels of at least 75 nmol/l (30ng/ml) needed for reducing the risk of hip and any non-vertebral fractures. More...

Vitamin D Deficiency and Rickets

Have our fears about sunbathing increased the risk of our children developing rickets?

According to recent BBC report, the 'risk of skin cancer from sun exposure is much smaller than the public has been led to believe while the risks of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, which are seldom mentioned, are now known to be very substantial. More...

Doctors fight soaring Vitamin D deficiency

Soaring rates of vitamin D deficiency in Cambridgeshire have sparked action by doctors, new figures have revealed. More...

Vitamin D 'triggers and arms' the immune system

Vitamin D is crucial to the fending off of infections, claims new research. Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that Vitamin D is crucial to activating our immune defences and that without sufficient intake of the vitamin, the killer cells of the immune system – T cells – will not be able to react to and fight off serious infections in the body. More...

Rickets makes comeback as generation shuns sun 
Childhood rickets - the "bandy-leg" disease that was eradicated last century - is making a comeback in Scotland's cities, experts warned yesterday.
Computer-game obsessed children and cautious parents are contributing to a sharp increase in the cases of the illness. More...

Vitamin D may help keep blood sugar under control
Drinking yogurt with extra vitamin D may help people with diabetes regulate their blood sugar, a study from Iran finds. More...

Low vitamin D levels linked to allergies in kids

A study of more than 3,000 children shows that low vitamin D levels are associated with increased likelihood that children will develop allergies, according to a paper published in the Feb. 17 online edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University headed the study. More....

Markedly Higher Vitamin D Intake Needed to Reduce Cancer Risk.
 "We found that daily intakes of vitamin D by adults in the range of 4000-8000 IU are needed to maintain blood levels of vitamin D metabolites in the range needed to reduce by about half the risk of several diseases -- breast cancer, colon cancer, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes," said Cedric Garland, DrPH, professor of family and preventive medicine at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. "I was surprised to find that the intakes required to maintain vitamin D status for disease prevention were so high -- much higher than the minimal intake of vitamin D of 400 IU/day that was needed to defeat rickets in the 20th century." More...

Vitamin D deficiency alters lung growth and decreases lung function
Previously linked to the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in humans, vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to alter lung structure and function in young mice. The new study, conducted by researchers in Australia, offers the first concrete evidence linking vitamin D deficiency with deficits in lung function and altered lung structure.   More….

Vitamin D linked to lower risk of Multiple Schlerosis 

The Ausimmune Study, coordinated by Associate Professor Robyn Lucas from the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment and involving researchers from across Australia, found that people who spend more time in the sun, and those with higher vitamin D levels, may be less likely to develop MS. More...

 Vitamin D Deficiency Alters Lung Growth and Decreases Lung Function

Previously linked to the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in humans, vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to alter lung structure and function in young mice. The new study, conducted by researchers in Australia, offers the first concrete evidence linking vitamin D deficiency with deficits in lung function and altered lung structure. More...

Vitamin D Deficiencies May Impact Onset of Autoimmune Lung Disease.

A new study shows that vitamin D deficiency could be linked to the development and severity of certain autoimmune lung diseases. More.....

New research findings show that vitamin D can speed up antibiotic treatment of tuberculosis (TB).

Findings have been revealed by scientists at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. The study -- which gives fresh insight into how vitamin D may affect the immune response -- is published January 6, 2011 in The Lancet. More.....

Newborns need for Vitamin D – low levels may increase risk for respiratory disease.

The vitamin D levels of newborn babies appear to predict their risk of respiratory infections during infancy and the occurrence of wheezing during early childhood, but not the risk of developing asthma. Results of a study in the January 2011 issue of Pediatrics support the theory that widespread vitamin D deficiency contributes to risk of infections. More…..

UK non-profits end era of sunlight ignorance and vitamin D denial

Seven leading health groups in the UK have announced a "definitive statement" that reverses decades of ignorant opposition to sunlight exposure. This statement admits that sunlight exposure is good for you and that people should seek to expose themselves to the sun, without sunscreen in order to produce more vitamin D.

This definitive statement was issued by the following non-profits:

Cancer Research UK, National Osteoporosis Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society, British Association of Dermatologists, Diabetes UK, National Heart Forum and the Primary Care Dermatology Society. More…..

Obesity May Interfere With Vitamin D Absorption

Finding may indicate need for supplements or more sunshine, study suggests

 The more obese a person is, the poorer his or her vitamin D status, a new study by a team of Norwegian researchers suggests.

The study found an inverse relationship between excess pounds and an insufficient amount of vitamin D, which is critical to cell health, calcium absorption and proper immune function. Vitamin D deficiency can raise the risk for bone deterioration and certain types of cancer.

The researchers also suggest that overweight and obese people may have problems processing the vitamin properly. More…

Gaps in vitamin D knowledge concerning
A survey of more than 9,000 New Zealand mothers has exposed gaps in knowledge about vitamin D's role in health that researchers describe as worrying.
And a parallel survey of health workers, including doctors and nurses, found high levels of knowledge but lack of understanding about what to tell patients. More...

Study finds three-quarters of hip fracture patients vitamin D deficient

A recent study has revealed high rates of vitamin D deficiency among hip fracture patients, reportedly confirming conclusions of similar international studies which point to the vitamin deficiency as a risk factor for hip fracture.

The findings mean that vitamin D levels may be a useful index for the assessment of hip fracture risk in the elderly, according to the study authors. More.... 

Vitamin D deficiency promotes prostate cancer growth in bone

Vitamin D is considered as an important determinant of bone turnover as well as cancer growth. Using a murine model of bone metastasis, this study investigated the effect of vitamin D deficiency on prostate cancer cell growth in bone.

The study concludes that Vitamin D deficiency stimulates prostate cancer growth in bone through modulating the bone microenvironment. More....

Newborns With Low Vitamin D Levels At Increased Risk For Respiratory Infections

The vitamin D levels of newborn babies appear to predict their risk of respiratory infections during infancy and the occurrence of wheezing during early childhood, but not the risk of developing asthma. Results of a study in the January 2011 issue of Pediatrics support the theory that widespread vitamin D deficiency contributes to risk of infections. More.....

Association between serum vitamin D deficiency and knee osteoarthritis

Insufficient levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) influence the knee joint cartilage and lead to development and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to determine the status of serum 25-OHD levels in patients with knee OA compared with controls.

Study findings indicated a significant association between serum 25-OHD deficiency and knee OA in patients aged?<?60 years. More....

Blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and hypertension: a meta-analysis.

Increasing evidence indicates that vitamin D may influence the risk of hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively review and summarize the results on the association between blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and hypertension.

Findings from this meta-analysis indicate that blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration is inversely associated with hypertension. More...

Lack of vitamin D: More evidence connected to breast, colon cancer
Two new vitamin D studies from the University of Rochester Medical Center suggest intriguing ties between a deficiency of D and breast and colon cancer, particularly among African Americans. More...

Vitamin D deficiency doubles the risk of stroke in caucasians

Researchers say their findings, to be presented Nov. 15 at the American Heart Association's (AHA) annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago, back up evidence from earlier work at Johns Hopkins linking vitamin D deficiency to higher rates of death, heart disease and peripheral artery disease in adults. More....

Vitamin D deficiency found in 90pc women, newborns

Ninety per cent of women and their newborns were found to be suffering from vitamin D deficiency in a recent research conducted at the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).

According to its findings, maternal levels of vitamin D strongly co-related with the levels of vitamin D in newborns. The proportion of severe deficiency in newborns was higher for female babies (46 per cent versus 24 per cent), although this difference was not statistically significant. More…….

A leading cancer specialist has claimed that women who regularly sunbathe live longer.
Hakan Olsson's claims are based on a study of 40,000 women. The expert, who works in the oncology unit at Lund University in Sweden, says his research shows the health benefits of exposure to sunlight 'far outweigh' the danger of skin cancer. He said vitamin D produced by the body when tanning gives vital protection against blood clots, diabetes and some tumours.

Olsson's claims sharply contradict warnings that sun exposure is behind soaring levels of skin cancer. But he believes the benefits of the sun 'far outweigh the negatives'. More.......

NOV 2010

Vitamin D deficiency means higher death risk in diabetes patients

A new study in Diabetes Care - a journal of American Diabetes Association suggests diabetes with severe vitamin D deficiency are at much higher risk of dying from all causes and cardiovascular disease compared with others.

The study led by Christel Joergensen, M.D. of Steno Diabetes Center in Gentofte, Denmark and colleagues showed diabetes patients with severe vitamin D deficiency defined as having less than 13.9 nmol/L were 95 percent more likely than those whose vitamin D levels were higher than 13.9 nmol/L. More…..

NOV 2010

Low Blood Levels of Vitamin D Linked to Chubbier Kids, Faster Weight Gain

Children who are deficient in vitamin D accumulated fat around the waist and gained weight more rapidly than kids who got enough vitamin D, a new University of Michigan study suggests. More...

NOV 2010

Low Vitamin D Linked to Deterioration in Certain Leukemia Patients

Patients with a certain type of leukemia who had insufficient vitamin D levels when their cancer was diagnosed saw their disease progress much faster and were two times more likely to die than those with adequate vitamin D levels, a new study finds. More....

SEP 2010

 Low vitamin D again linked to higher mortality in heart patients

The study, conducted at the University Medical Center, Groningen, in the Netherlands, also suggested that low levels of vitamin D are associated with activation of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS – a pivotal regulatory system in heart failure) and an altered cytokine profile.

“By showing that vitamin D is an independent predictor, we hoped to prove that it is a contributory factor to, rather than peripheral to, the development and prognosis of heart failure. With this new information, we then hope to provide better insight into the pathophysiology of heart failure,” said said researcher Licette Liu.

The study is said to be the first conducted in a large cohort of patients recruited due to hospitalisation for heart failure, in which the role of vitamin D has been determined, along with the roles of plasma renin activity and cytokines. More….

 SEP 2010

Serum 25(OH) vitamin D and risk of breast cancer

Our findings support a decreased risk of breast cancer associated with high 25(OH) vitamin D(3) serum concentrations, especially in younger women. More...

 SEP 2010

 Vitamin D and risk of breast cancer

The study found a decreased risk of breast cancer (27%) with increasing 25(OH) vitamin D(3) serum concentrations among women in the highest tertile. More…

 SEP 2010

Vitamin D May Treat or Prevent Allergy to Common Mold

 Research conducted by Dr. Jay Kolls, Professor and Chair of Genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and colleagues, has found that vitamin D may be an effective therapeutic agent to treat or prevent allergy to a common mold that can complicate asthma and frequently affects patients with Cystic Fibrosis. More...

Revealed: how vitamin D can protect us from cancer

Scientists discover how substance controls actions of genes.

Vitamin D protects the body against a range of serious illnesses by binding to the DNA of the body's cells and directly controlling the genes implicated in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes and cancer, a study suggests.

It is the first time that scientists have found direct evidence to suggest that the "sunshine vitamin", which is made by the skin in the presence of sunlight, directly controls a network of genes linked with a wide variety of serious disorders.

Although previous studies have linked vitamin D deficiency with a growing list of illnesses, especially the autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and type-1 diabetes, until now scientists have not been able to show how it could trigger so many different disorders. More……

2,776 binding sites for the vitamin D receptor found along the length of the genome  

The extent to which vitamin D deficiency may increase susceptibility to a wide range of diseases is dramatically highlighted in research published today. Scientists have mapped the points at which vitamin D interacts with our DNA - and identified over two hundred genes that it directly influences. The results are published today in the journal Genome Research. More.....