Supplementation measured against sun exposure!
Oral supplementation of vitamin D remains the safest way to get adequate levels, researchers have concluded in a study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The study compared the sun exposure required to achieve serum vitamin D3 concentrations equivalent to 400iu.
Looking at Boston, America between April and October, it was found that an individual on average would need 8 minutes in the sun to synthesise 400iu, but in Miami, Florida it would only take about 4 minutes. Concluding the research, the team noted that although sun exposure is a good way to obtain vitamin D, there are too many well-known detrimental side effects related to ultraviolet irradiation. Therefore, oral supplementation remains the safest way for increasing vitamin D status.
Low Vitamin D levels ‘linked to Parkinson’s disease’
In a Finnish study of 3000 people, published in Archives of Neurology, found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, had a three-fold higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It was suggested that vitamin D could help protect the nerve cells gradually lost by people with the disease. The study was conducted over 30 years and also concluded that as we age our bodies ability to produce vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin diminishes.
Further research is required to find out whether taking a dietary supplement, or increased sun exposure may have an effect on Parkinson’s, and at what quantity and stage these would be most beneficial.
Sources:
Health Food Business: August 2010, Volume 23, Issue 10, Page 10.
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10601091.stm
General Health
New evidence shows that people with higher levels of vitamin D experience a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, have higher activity in the body’s immune system against infectious diseases like flu and also have better balanced moods and energy levels. Vitamin D also helps build healthy bones, hearts, nerves, skin and teeth, and it supports the health of the thyroid gland, maintaining healthy weight and a balanced metabolism.
Whilst moderate sunlight exposure is the best source of vitamin D, many people incorrectly think that a small amount of sunshine exposure daily is sufficient to meet their vitamin D needs. However, after your skin is exposed to sunlight, it takes about 48 hours to convert it into vitamin D. During that time, the sunlight-initiated precursors to vitamin D can be washed off with soap and water. So if you scrub your skin with soap in the shower, your body will not convert most of your skin’s sun exposure to vitamin D.
This leaves us in a quandary. Whilst vitamin D can be found in many foods, like oily fish, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, mushrooms and many other sources, it is in fairly low amounts and not that easily absorbed. This is where a good vitamin D supplement comes in!
Many nutritional experts agree that the current RDA of 5µg (200iu) is insufficient and should be more like 25µg. However, we do think this may be a little excessive, but regularly recommend 10µg on a daily basis for better health!
Pregnancy
A team at University College London Institute of Child Health say that there is a very “strong case” for a daily dose of vitamin D in pregnancy to go alongside the 400µg of Folic Acid currently recommended.
The Department of Health advises pregnant women to ensure they receive a certain level of vitamin D – 10µg per day. The researchers say this in effect endorses the use of supplements, because diet and the sun provide too little. Women should be informed about the importance of having adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy and whilst breast feeding.
It is worth noting here that pregnant women on low incomes are entitled to a range of nutrients – including vitamin D – as part of the Healthy Start Scheme.
Dr Elina Hypponen, co-author of the paper, said “The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women in Britain is unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring”. The paper also said that the UK was the only one of 31 countries examined which did not recommend that women of reproductive age took a vitamin D supplement, and that it also failed to endorse a daily supplement for expectant mothers. “We believe that the routine provision of a daily supplement throughout pregnancy would significantly decrease the number of mothers who are clearly vitamin D deficient, reducing related serious risks to their babies.”
If pregnant, thinking of becoming so, or breast feeding we would recommend good all-round nutrition in the guise of our Pregnancy Formula!
“Vitamin D Supplementation in the UK might be beneficial for the whole population.”, Mr Patrick O’Brien, RCOG.
Sources:
Care2.com: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vitamin-d-lined-to-diabetes-cancer-depression-and-more.html
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/8645104.stm
Gout Busters!
I know stop groaning! But it’s true. Men who get more than 1500mg of vitamin C a day reduce their risk of developing the painful joint disease gout by 45%.
US researchers who have recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, believe that vitamin C can help prevent the risk of gout, although they did say that just popping a vitamin C tablet with every beer was unlikely to compensate or indeed constitute a healthy lifestyle!
In a 20 year study of nearly 47,000 men there were significant benefits to two groups especially. Those taking 1000-1499mg of vitamin C, and those taking 1500mg vitamin C.
Although thought of as a Victorian condition, gout has slowly been on the increase over the last 30 years, and currently 1.5% of the UK population has the condition. Lead researcher Dr Hyon Choi, of Boston University School of Medicine, said there were good reasons to believe that vitamin C was having a beneficial effect on the men.
How it works!
Vitamin C appears to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood – a build up of this naturally occurring compound can form crystal deposits in and around the joints, leading to pain and swelling. Vitamin C expels the acid from the blood via the kidneys.
Rheumatologist, Dr Michael Snaith, of the UK Gout Society, said ‘that does not mean to say that taking whacking great amounts of vitamin C is going to eliminate gout’.
But it couldn’t hurt could it?
Source: BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7932158.stm
