Swiss researchers wrote recently that higher doses of vitamin D daily may reduce bone fracture risk for the elderly. Their analysis of research studies, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found doses higher than 400 I.U. per day reduced non-vertebral fractures by 20 percent and hip fractures by 18 percent.
Dr. Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari of the University of Zurich Hospital in Switzerland and colleagues examined research involving non-spinal fractures in over 42,000 participants -- including eight trials of 40,886 participants specifically studying hip fractures. When the researchers studied the results of the trials, vitamin D supplements doses of 400 international units per day or lower did not reduce non-spinal or hip fracture risks.
The greater reduction in risk was seen among trial participants whose blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D -- a measure of blood vitamin D levels -- achieved a greater increase.
"Higher doses of vitamin D should be explored in future research to optimize anti-fracture efficacy," the study authors said in a statement. "Our results do not support use of low-dose vitamin D with or without calcium in the prevention of fractures among older individuals."
Other news regarding Vitamin D . . .
Researchers at the California-based non-profit Autoimmunity Research Foundation say that vitamin D may provide short-term relief by lowering inflammation, but it may exacerbate disease symptoms over the long-term in certain auto-immune diseases.
Under such circumstances, supplementation with extra vitamin D may not only be counterproductive but harmful also. They urge people with autoimmune disease to talk to their doctor before taking large doses of supplemental Vitamin D.
A research article on this study has been published in Autoimmunity Reviews.
Dave
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2 comments:
When considering vitamin D levels I think we must apply our common sense.
What levels do our bodies naturally attain and maintain if we live naked outdoors?
Circulating Vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in Human
What level allows human breast milk to flow replete with vitamin D3?
Vitamin D requirement during pregnancy and lactation.
What 25(OH)D level is associated with lowest incidence of chronic illness?
Disease Incidence Prevention by Serum 25(OH)D Level
It seems to me that the primitive 25(OH)D status our DNA evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to work best with should be the starting point and lower levels should only be suggested if there is good solid evidence that people with lower levels live longer healthier lives.
I've also heard that vitamin D was great for keeping your prostate healthy!
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