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Last week’s column on vitamin D explained what it is and basically how it works. This column will help to explain why it is such an important thing that vitamin D deficiency be considered in whenever you discuss nutrition with your doctor or dietician.
A recent British study has shown that lower vitamin D levels in older men seem to be associated with slower thinking. However, it is unclear as to whether this is a cause or effect relationship between vitamin D and thinking.
In a study from the University of Pittsburgh, it was found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with bacterial vaginosis, which is a common vaginal infection that is associated with bad pregnancy outcomes. The researchers have suggested that this may have something to do with the influence vitamin D has on the immune system.
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy has also been associated with increased odds of primary cesarean delivery, according to the results of a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Previous reports have demonstrated that low serum vitamin D levels are associated with the incidence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This seems consistent with recent research done at the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo School of Medicine in which vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher disability scores and increased rate of disease progression for patients with MS. According to the researchers, higher vitamin D levels may even have a protective role against MS.
A 2007 study reported in Movement Disorders showed that vitamin D insufficiency is more prevalent in patients with Parkinson’s disease compared to patients with Alzheimer’s disease or healthy control subjects.
Since sunlight exposure is very important in order to have enough vitamin D in our blood, winter could be creating more colds because vitamin D deficiency reduces the body’s ability to fight infection. According to a large study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, people with the lowest vitamin D levels in their blood were significantly more likely to report having colds or flu.
If that information is not depressing enough, a Dutch study of over 1,200 older folks found 14 percent lower levels of vitamin D among those reporting more feelings of loneliness and listlessness. Other research found that serious lower back pain and other chronic pain problems are more prevalent among those lacking vitamin D.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that people with low vitamin D levels might be twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke than those with higher vitamin D levels.
Research has also shown that vitamin D and calcium influence pancreatic beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity, which may lead to diabetes mellitus. It has also been found that patients with type II diabetes tend to have a lower serum vitamin D concentration compared to people without diabetes.
There are many vitamin D benefits to those of us who think of ourselves as healthy, including healthy bones and teeth, lower blood pressure, improved immunity and reduced risk of certain cancers.
In fact, a University of California San Diego study found a 50 percent drop in colon cancer and a 30 percent decreased risk of ovarian and breast cancer with increased intake of vitamin D, which also reduced prostate cancer risk in men by 43 percent.
All of the above suggests that we should try to get some sun whenever possible and choose foods high in vitamin D, which include milk fortified with vitamin D, fortified cereals, and oily fish. Oily fish are the best sources of vitamin D. The only cooking style that affects vitamin D content is frying in vegetable oil, which significantly reduced the vitamin D content.
There are multiple prescribed drugs that can decrease the absorption of vitamin D. These medications include anticonvulsants, thiazide diuretics, corticosteroids, nicotine, cimetidine, cholesterol-lowering agents (ezetimibe), heparin, and diet agents (Xenical and Alli).
If you have any concern about your own vitamin D status, be sure to talk to your doctor about a blood test that can help you to know what to do.
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