For years, we’ve been advocating for the health benefits of high blood levels of vitamin D. A study just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a peer-reviewed scientific publication, underscores just how important vitamin D is, not only for good health, but perhaps life itself. A group of scientists reviewed 14 studies on more than 60,000 people. Statistical analysis of the pooled data revealed a startling trend toward increased longevity in people with higher levels of vitamin D. This follows on the heels of another scientific report published last September in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Based on that study, which looked at vitamin D levels of people in six geographic regions, global mortality rates could be reduced as much as 17 percent by doubling vitamin D blood levels.
Archive for the 'vitamin d' Category
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each week, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Tips for Better Bone Building, Part 2: What is the “Real” Vitamin D Requirement?
The true test of vitamin D adequacy is whether it prevents the parathyroid glands from secreting parathyroid hormone (PTH). What does the scientific evidence say? Daily intakes of vitamin D much greater than the recommended 400 IU are required to minimize PTH secretion and optimize skeletal health. The results of a statistical analysis of published research published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that men and women over 60 years of age who routinely consumed double the RDA (about 800 IU of vitamin D daily) suffered 25% fewer hip fractures than those who stuck to the RDA.5 Consistent with this analysis, the results of the Women’s Health Initiative Study published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine proved that the RDA for vitamin D was no better than vitamin D deficient diets in protecting the skeleton.6 As shown in the results of another study published recently in the British Medical Journal, even 800 IU daily may not be enough vitamin D for every elderly person.7
Scientists now conclude that an average vitamin D intake of 1000 IU daily is needed by most adults (some may require more) and that an average daily vitamin D intake of 2600 IU would be required in order to ensure that very few older women could become functionally vitamin D deficient. A pioneer of vitamin D research, Dr. Hector F. DeLuca of the University of Wisconsin, has advised all adults to consume 2000 IU of vitamin D daily to optimize health.8 As detailed in the vitamin D chapter later on in this book, many researchers feel that a number of people may need much higher amounts. The FDA also agrees about the importance of achieving adequate intake of vitamin D along with calcium throughout life. In a claim they’ve approved about the relationship between vitamin D and calcium together, they state that, “Adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.” Calcium is the structural backbone for skeletal health and vitamin D controls its incorporation into tissues. Both are vital to promoting healthy bone structure and density.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Tips for Better Bone Building, Part 3: Vitamin C
References:
5. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Giovannucci E, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Fracture prevention with vitamin D supplementation: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA 2005;293:2257-2264.
6. Jackson RD, LaCroix AZ, Gass M, Wallace RB, Robbins J, Lewis CE, Bassford T, Beresford SA, Black HR, Blanchette P, Bonds DE, Brunner RL, Brzyski RG, Caan B, Cauley JA, Chlebowski RT, Cummings SR, Granek I, Hays J, Heiss G, Hendrix SL, Howard BV, Hsia J, Hubbell FA, Johnson KC, Judd H, Kotchen JM, Kuller LH, Langer RD, Lasser NL, Limacher MC, Ludlam S, Manson JE, Margolis KL, McGowan J, Ockene JK, O’Sullivan MJ, Phillips L, Prentice RL, Sarto GE, Stefanick ML, Van Horn L, Wactawski-Wende J, Whitlock E, Anderson GL, Assaf AR, Barad D; Women’s Health Initiative Investigators. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures. N Engl J Med 2006;354:669-683.
7. Porthouse J, Cockayne S, King C, Saxon L, Steele E, Aspray T, Baverstock M, Birks Y, Dumville J, Francis R, Iglesias C, Puffer S, Sutcliffe A, Watt I, Torgerson DJ. Randomised controlled trial of calcium and supplementation with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) for prevention of fractures in primary care. BMJ 2005;330:1003 (6 pages). doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7498.1003 (http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/330/7498/1003).
8. DeLuca HF. Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80(Suppl.):1689S-1696S.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each week, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Tips for Better Bone Building, Part 1 Calcium and Vitamin D – never alone, always together
The bedrock of every bone is an excellent supply of calcium and vitamin D. It’s only logical – the hard substance of a bone is mostly calcium and vitamin D is needed in order for the gut to absorb calcium and for the bones to know what to do with it. Vitamin D regulates the body’s calcium metabolism (and does much more). The importance of vitamin D for health is no longer a theory. It’s a scientific fact. Its importance for bone health in conjunction with calcium is also well-established.
The results of three “gold standard” randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials all have shown that dietary supplementation with calcium promotes healthy bone structure. In one of these studies, elderly postmenopausal women without previous fractures responded to 4 years of daily dietary supplementation with 1000 mg of calcium with enhanced bone density and structure when compared to similar women being fed a placebo.2 Similarly, a second study showed that elderly postmenopausal women who had previously suffered a spontaneous bone fracture, and had a lifetime of poor calcium nutrition prior to the study, responded to 4 years of daily dietary supplementation with 1200 mg of calcium with 77% fewer new spinal fractures than occurred in women fed a placebo for the 4 years.3 In the third randomized placebo-controlled study, women who previously had suffered multiple fractures and then supplemented their diets with 1500 mg to 2500 mg of calcium daily also enjoyed fewer new fractures than were endured by similar women fed a placebo.4
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recognized the relationship between good calcium nutrition and bone health by stating that “Adequate calcium throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.” These government scientists continue to consider the significant scientific evidence that indicates that maintaining adequate calcium intake (that is, the amount that they recommend be consumed on a regular daily basis) can reduce the chances of suffering a spontaneous, “osteoporotic” fracture of the hip, spine or wrist.
A possible side-benefit of maintaining adequate calcium nutrition: On October 12, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that although they found the scientific evidence inconsistent and not yet conclusive, they agreed that “Some scientific evidence suggests that calcium supplements may reduce the risk of hypertension.”
Another possible side-benefit of maintaining adequate calcium nutrition: On October 12, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that although the supporting scientific evidence is sparse and not conclusive, “Some evidence suggests that calcium supplements may reduce the risk of colon/rectal cancer” and “Very limited and preliminary evidence suggests that calcium supplements may reduce the risk of colon/rectal polyps.”
But please do not think about calcium in isolation. The ability of calcium to benefit your bones (and cardiovascular system and digestive tract) depends on the cooperation of vitamin D. Unfortunately, even if you are making sure to get the recommended amount of vitamin D every single day, you still may not be getting enough vitamin D to optimally support your health.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Tips for Better Bone Building, Part 2: What is the “Real” Vitamin D Requirement?
References:
2. Reid IR, Ames RW, Evans MC, Gamble GD, Sharpe SJ. Long-term effects of calcium supplementation on bone loss and fractures in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Am J Med 1995;98:331-335.
3. Recker RR, Hinders S, Davies KM, Heaney RP, Stegman MR, Lappe JM, Kimmel DB. Correcting calcium nutritional deficiency prevents spine fractures in elderly women. J Bone Miner Res 996;11:1961- 1966.
4. Riggs BL, Seeman E, Hodgson SF, Taves DR, O’Fallon WM. Effect of the fluoride/calcium regimen on vertebral fracture occurrence in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Comparison with conventional therapy. N Engl J Med 1982;306:446-450.
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A study published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that Vitamin D2 is much less effective than Vitamin D3 in humans.
“Vitamin D2 potency is less than one third that of vitamin D3. Physicians resorting to use of vitamin D2 should be aware of its markedly lower potency and shorter duration of action relative to vitamin D3.”
To read the full report and study, visit:
http://jcem.endojournals.org/
Dr. Leo Galland, MD clears up some confusion regarding the recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on Vitamin D. Read the full article on HuffingtonPost.com:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/vitamin-d-beware-the-hype-_b_791976.html
Vitamin D has been spotlighted in the news with the release of a report by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM). This report confirms what many scientists have been saying for some time: the current recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamin D is outdated and should be raised. The IOM has responded positively but cautiously, which is not surprising, as this non-government organization is known–and sometimes criticized–for its conservative approach to estimating nutritional needs in the general population. Nonetheless, the IOM increased the RDI to 600 IU daily for children and adults up to age 70. For those 71 and older, the new RDI is 800 IU. While encouraging, these marginal increases are a baby step.
What’s important to understand about this report is this: the new RDI is limited to what the IOM thinks we need for bone health and bone health only. Vitamin D plays a key role in keeping bones strong by regulating the absorption of calcium and its deposition into bone. This is old news and vitamin D’s best known function, about which there is no debate.
But there is clearly a lot more to vitamin D than bone health. A growing mountain of scientific evidence now indicates that vitamin D is important for many other things, including heart and cardiovascular health, immunity, brain function, the prostate, breast health, just to name a few.
The IOM did not discount this research; unfortunately however, some of the media reports make it sound as though they did. What the IOM said is that, in their judgment, the research is not conclusive enough to be factored into their new recommendations. In the eyes of conservative scientists, “conclusive evidence” would need to be rock-solid proof, a standard that could take many more years to achieve; science simply doesn’t move that fast.
Meanwhile, a growing number of experts are looking at the research that’s been done to date and concluding that, for things vitamin D does beyond keeping bones properly calcified, we almost certainly need much more than 600 to 800 IU per day. Leading experts on Vitamin D point out that we actually may need as much as 5,000 IU in order to achieve the ideal blood level of vitamin D; especially when we spend little time in the sun; in this case “we” means everybody living in the temperate zone who spends the winter indoors. Obviously a big chunk of the population.
Creighton University professor of medicine Robert Heaney, MD, who has studied the benefits of vitamin D, told the USA Today that the recommended 600 IUs of vitamin D is “way too low.” Heaney recommends people should consider taking up to 4,000 IUs a day. He added, “For me, it’s a no-brainer. There is a large body of evidence for benefit at intakes above the IOM recommendations. There is no risk, and very little cost, so why not take a chance of a benefit if there’s any possibility?”
But is it safe to take that much vitamin D? Again the media would lead you to think the IOM concluded otherwise. Not so, they merely declined to vouch for the safety of doses that exceed 10,000 IU daily and in fact acknowledged that there are no proven health risks from taking that amount. In fact, a number of studies have looked at people taking 10,000 IU and more and found no harmful effects. What’s more, the IOM doubled the “acceptable” upper daily intake limit from 2,000 to 4,000 IU, a dramatic increase.
The point is, the latest, cutting edge research strongly suggests that a lot of us need much more D than we’re getting. Secondly, taking more may do many important things to keep you healthy. And, daily consumption of as much as 5,000 units is completely safe. The problem with recommendations from ultra cautious organizations such as the IOM is they are rarely based on the cutting-edge. If we wait for them to catch up, we may miss out on the benefits of vitamin D in the meantime; indeed for some of us, by the time the final answer is in and the debate is over, it may be too late.
Just thought we’d post a quick note on several of the ways to order our increasingly popular Dr. Cannell’s Advanced D.
First, we have a list of all Dr. Cannell’s Advanced D products on our website at:
Purity Products Vitamin D
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This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Vitamins, Minerals and Dental Health
Vitamin C
The need for vitamin C to allow the tough fibers of the gums to link together is the most famous example of the way an essential component of the diet is irreplaceable in the maintenance of human health. The recognition of this role founded the science of vitaminology. By promoting strong and healthy gums, vitamin C contributes to dental health.
Magnesium, Calcium and Vitamin D
Strong teeth require more than just strong gums – they also need strong underlying bone through which they attach to the gums and the jawbone. Of course, sound calcium and vitamin D nutrition will allow those stalwarts of bone health to foster dental longevity. In addition, it is becoming clear that there is another, underappreciated member of the dental health team – magnesium. As shown in one survey of adults, the greater the daily intake of magnesium, the better the health of the periodontal tissue.41
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Vitamins, Minerals and Healthy Aging Go Hand-In-Hand
References:
41. Meisel P, Schwahn C, Luedemann J, John U, Kroemer HK, Kocher T. Magnesium deficiency is associated with periodontal disease. J Dent Res 2005;84:937-941.
