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Low vitamin D means higher death risk 6-24-08
Individuals with lower
blood levels of sunshine vitamin D in their blood appear to have an increased
risk of death from all causes and from cardiovascular diseases, according to an
Austrian study in the June 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study found people with a lowest level of vitamin D in their blood were
twice as likely to die from any cause including death from heart disease during
an eight-year period as those who had a high level.
Vitamin D is naturally produced in the body when the skin is exposed to
sunshine. Exposure of the face and both hands for 20 minutes to strong sunshine
is believed to generate enough vitamin D while a dietary regimen is needed to
have a preventative effect against certain diseases or death, particularly in
dark-skinned individuals and the elderly who produce less vitamin D.
An estimated 50 to 60 percent of older people in North America and the rest of
the world do not have sufficient vitamin D and a similar percentage of young
people have the same problem, according to the background information in the
report.
Previous studies have linked blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood
lower than 20 to 30 nanograms per milliliter with risk of falls, fractures,
cancer, immune dysfunction, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
In the study, Harald Dobnig, M.D., an internist and endocrinologist at Medical
University of Graz, Austria, and colleagues measured 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,
25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels in 3,258 consecutive patients at an average age of
62 years who were underwent coronary angiography testing between 1997 and 2000.
During the 7.7-year follow-up, 22.6 percent of participants died and among the
dead, 62.8 percent were caused by cardiovascular causes.
Death rates from any cause and from the cardiovascular causes were higher in
those with their blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in the lower 50 percent and in
the lowest one-fourth of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels, the study found.
Low 25-hydroxyviitamin D levels were also linked with markers of inflammation
such as c-reactive protein as well as signs of oxidative damage to cells, the
study found.
"Apart from the proved effects that vitamin D has on bone metabolism and
neuromuscular function, appropriate serum levels (that may also be higher than
in the present investigation) are associated with a decrease in mortality," the
researchers concluded.
"Although not proved, it seems possible that at least part of this effect may be
due to lowering of a risk profile promoting atherosclerosis [narrowing of the
arteries] and preventing cardiovascular end points." The researchers said.
"Based on the findings of this study, a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 20
nanograms per milliliter or higher may be advised for maintaining general
health." (Editor’s note: many other studies have suggested that 30 nanograms per
milliliter are needed.)
The current study merely established an association between the serum vitamin D
level and death risk and it did not prove that taking vitamin D supplements to
increase its level in the body would actually reduce the risk of death from all
causes although the possibility cannot be excluded either.
However, many clinical trials have already demonstrated the preventative effect
of vitamin D against premature deaths from all causes including cardiovascular
causes.
One study meta-analyzed data from 18 separate trials of 57,000 participants who
had a dietary supplement of vitamin D at a dose ranging from 300 to 2000
International Units and found those who took vitamin D had a 7 percent lower
risk of death than those who did not.
The study was conducted by Philippe Autier, M.D., of the International Agency
for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, and Sara Gandini, Ph.D., of the European
Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy and published in the September 10, 2007
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Overall, early studies showed deficiencies in vitamin D are associated with a
higher risk of death from cancers including breast, prostate, and colon cancer,
heart disease and diabetes-illnesses, which overall are responsible for 60 to 70
percent of deaths in developed countries.
Another study conducted by Edward Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D. at Harvard School of
Public and colleagues revealed that people with 15 nanograms per milliliter of
blood or less was found 2.42 times higher than those with a sufficient amount
(30 nanograms per milliliter). The findings were published in the June 9, 2008
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
The researchers came to the conclusion after they compared 454 men age 40 to 75
who had non-fatal heart attack or fatal heart disease during the follow-up
period with 900 men who did not have a history cardiovascular disease.
Sunshine is the basic source of vitamin D. But readers may be careful about the
advice they receive from news media, a health observer affiliated with
foodconsumer.org suggested. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is widely viewed as a
risk for developing skin cancer and people are often urged to use screens to
block exposure to sunshine. Be aware though that vitamin D deficiency can put
an individual at a higher risk of dying from other more serious types of cancers
and a variety of other chronic diseases.
Other sources include fortified foods such as fortified milk and cereals,
natural foods such as cod liver oil, fatty fish such as cooked salmon, mackerel,
tuna and sardines, egg yolks, liver of animals, and supplements.
The current recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 200 IU per day for
people age under 50, 400 IUs for those age between 50 and 70, and 600 IUs for
those over 70. Older people need higher doses. Research has found healthy
people can tolerate intake of up to 10,000 IU per day. Vitamin D experts have
already complained that the current RDA is too low to have a protective effect
and recommended that the RDA should be increased to at least 1,000 IU per day.
Comment:
Seafood is not a good source do to mercury, pcb's and prescriptions drugs. If you cant get it from sunshine ( 1/2 hour in the sun equals about 200mg) than a good supplement is in order. I take mine at night on days that I didn't get enough sun.