Your Health - CTV MedNews Express :: Exciting news about vitamin D emerges out of study of studies
by Dr. Marla Shapiro on Tue 11 Sep 2007 09:00 AM EDT | Permanent Link
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is back in the news. The information about vitamins has been somewhat confusing for many of my patients.
Recent news that the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E have no benefit -- and even adverse events -- has left many wondering what to take as a supplement. That study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, contradicted claims that beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E can prevent disease, and found they may actually increase the risk of death.
So what is the latest on vitamin D? In this week's Archives of Internal Medicine, the study authors looked at 18 previously published, randomized clinical trials involving the vitamin. These were gold standard studies looking at other outcomes and what are called “primary end points” – the main result that is measured at the end of a study to see if a given treatment worked. What was found was startling, but not entirely unexpected. For those who regularly took vitamin D, there was a 7% reduction in all-cause mortality.
The studies generally involved healthy people who were usually at high risk for fractures; most of the ages ranged from middle to elderly; and most dose ranges of vitamin D used were 400 to 800 IU.
While we know vitamin D is important for bone health, recent studies have pointed to its beneficial effects in preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, MS and type 2 Diabetes.
We know that vitamin D is essential for many functions at the level of the cell. The vitamin is used in a number of endocrine functions that can affect how our genes express themselves. Vitamin D is important for immunity and even antibiotic peptides. It also is important in regulating how our cells multiply and therefore have an impact on cancer incidence and survival.
The editorial that accompanies the Journal article is quick to point out that the study did not consider specific causes of death. The studies generally had short courses, so the impact of vitamin D had to be seen on diseases that were likely to express themselves in a shorter period of time. If vitamin D prevents seasonal deaths associated with influenza or pneumonia, that would be seen for example, but for chronic diseases that have a long period of time to develop, the impact of vitamin D would be underestimated by this study and analysis.
The study also did not show any adverse effect of taking vitamin D supplementation.
Recently, the Canadian Cancer Society made headlines when they recommended that Canadians take 1,000 IU per day during the fall and winter months.
The evidence is growing that vitamin D indeed is a supplement that we should be taking. Future studies are bound to look at the role of vitamin D specifically, how early it should be taken, its modes of actions, the specific diseases that are impacted and how.
VIDEO: Dr. Marla Shapiro discusses the study on Canada AM
Keywords: vitamin
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Re: Exciting news about vitamin D emerges out of study of studies
by lisadiamond on Tue 18 Sep 2007 01:32 PM EDT | Profile | Permanent Link
The effects of natural medicine have helped my daughter thrive through her journey. She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2005. Thanks to natural vitamins and supplements, she is doing well. I would love to share her story with you,considering she has gone against the odds, and the hosiptal messed up her protocol.
http://healthblog.ctv.ca/blog/_archives/2007/9/11/3220356.html
posted by Bill at 8:12 AM
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