Increased Risk Of Death Associated With Low Vitamin D Levels
Editor's ChoiceMain Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines; Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine; Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 13 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT
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Low vitamin D levels are associated with a higher risk of death, according to a report released on August 11, 2008 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Vitamin D is a group of prohormones that play important roles in calcium metabolism, bone formation, parathyroid function, and the immune system. Presently, the ideal bood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) has been suggested as 30 nanograms per milliliter or higher. In the United States, approximately 41% of men and 53% of women have levels lower than 28 nanograms per milliliter.
There are many potential health problems that could contribute to death in individuals with low vitamin D levels, including an effect on blood pressure, insulin response, or risk of obesity and diabetes.
To investigate the potential implications of this deficiency, Michal L. Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y., and colleagues examined 13,331 individuals in the Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES III), a large cohort study performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These individuals were examined for Vitamin D levels between 1988 and 1994, and tracked through 2000, with a median 8.7 years of follow-up.
In this period, 1,806 participants died. When divided into groups based on vitamin D levels, the group maintaining the lowest level, defined as less than 17.8 nanograms per milliliter, showed a 26% increased risk of death from any cause in comparison with the group with the highest levels of vitamin D. This was not associated with cardiovascular disease or cancer alone.
The authors conclude that "the lowest 25(OH)D quartile (less than 17.8 nanograms per milliliter) is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in the general U.S. population." They continue: "Further observational studies are needed to confirm these findings and establish the mechanisms underlying these observations. If confirmed, randomized clinical trials will be needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation at higher doses could have any potential benefit in reducing future mortality risk in those with 25(OH)D deficiency."
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and the Risk of Mortality in the General Population
Michal L. Melamed, MD, MHS; Erin D. Michos, MD, MHS; Wendy Post, MD, MS; Brad Astor, PhD
Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(15):1629-1637
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Written by Anna Sophia McKenney
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Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (2)
Vitamin D
posted by Debra on 13 Aug 2008 at 10:00 amI have been taking vitamin D supplements for a year, to the tune of a prescription-level 50,000 i.u.'s every other week, at the behest of an endocrinologist. The fact I had my spleen removed after a car wreck in 1990 had only been briefly referred to (since that time) by my family physician and other specialists. My research had told me that my immune system would be affected by the loss of my spleen, yet, no one seemed to know what to do to help me. I was bothered by constant infections, adult acne cysts that took six to eight months to heal, if then, and other general aches and pains until I began this regimen of vitamin D. It only makes sense the patients without enough in their systems died from various causes. For me, simply getting sores healed like "normal" people took a huge amount of stress off of me, mentally. Total effect for me, taking vitamin D? Excellent!
Vitamin D Prescription Versus Over The Counter D3
posted by Ted Hutchinson on 24 Oct 2008 at 5:34 amDebra mentions she has been taking vitamin D supplements for a year, to the tune of a prescription-level 50,000 i.u.'s every other week.
50,000iu/14= approximately 3500iu/daily.
While this regime is working for Debra, it may well not work for everyone. The Case Against Ergocalciferol as a Vitamin Supplement by Lisa A Houghton and Reinhold Vieth explains the reasons why over the counter D3 Cholecalciferol is generally better than the licensed prescribed form.
A search for
"Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)D-3-50 (50,000IU) 100ct" should find an online provider of that strength.
Generally speaking people who live further from the equator than latitude 40 require 5000iu/daily if female and 6000iu/daily if male to attain and maintain a status around 50ng-70ng. 125-175nmol/l.
A 25(OH)D Vitamin D blood test would be good idea after 3months supplement use to ensure it was an appropriate level for you. Status can then be adjusted by increasing/decreasing the daily intake by 100iu/d for each 1ng-2.5nmol/l the reading is too low/high.
Use of Vitamin D in clinical practice Cannell Hollis is free and downloadable and provides a useful up to date summary of the latest understanding of correcting Vitamin d insufficiency.
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