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More Reasons to Take Vitamin D

Posted on by Paula Gallagher

Everyday there seems to be more and more research to support the supplementation of Vitamin D. The current recommendation of 400IU just may not be enough for most people living in North America, especially those of us who are inside most of the day and don't see sunshine. Here are summaries of the three latest studies on the posItive effects of Vitamin D. Study 1: Vitamin D Status May Be Inversely Associated With Risk of Colorectal Cancer In a case-controlled study involving 229 cases of colorectal cancer and 434 matched-controls, results indicate an inverse association between vitamin D status and risk of colorectal cancer. Using conditional logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders, higher quintiles of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D <25(OH)D> were associated with a 32% reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Thus, the authors conclude, "In summary, this study provides evidence of an association between vitamin D status and reduced risk of colorectal cancer in an ethnically diverse population. Study 2: Vitamin D Supplementation May Benefit HIV Positive Men In a cross-sectional study involving 115 HIV-seropositive men, results indicate a significant prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. 36% of the participants showed vitamin D insufficiency (<50 nmol/L), 20% showed vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/L), and 4% showed severe deficiency (<12.5 nmol/L). The authors conclude, "This study confirms that the prevalence of hypovitaminosis is high among HIV-infected patients." Study 3: Vitamin D3 Deficiency Linked to Higher Preoperative PTH Levels and Increased Risk of Late-Onset Hypocalcemia In a study involving 80 patients who had undergone minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP), vitamin D3 deficiency was found to be associated with a higher pre-operative PTH level and a greater risk of late-onset hypocalcemia (defined as symptoms developing after 24 hours post-procedure) after the MIP. Of the 80 patients, 45 were found to have 25OHD(3) levels < 20 ng/ml (considered vitamin D deficient). If hypocalcemic symptoms developed, or if Ca levels dropped below 2.00 mmol/l (they were checked at 6, 16 and 24 hours post-procedure), oral supplementation with calcium and vitamin D was provided. Subjects deficient in vitamin D were found to have significantly higher PTH (190 vs. 121 pg/ml), significantly lower Ca at 24 hours post-procedure, and at 1 week post-procedure, a significantly higher proportion of LOH (12 of 42 vs. 3/34). The authors conclude, "Vitamin D(3) deficiency was associated with a higher preoperative PTH level and a greater risk of LOH after MIP. However, the likely cause of LOH remains unclear as both low preoperative vitamin D(3) and high PTH levels could be responsible." If you are unsure of how much to take, consult with your doctor or contact Village Green to discuss vitamin D3 supplementation.
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