Vitamin D also aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, all of which are required for strong and healthy bones. Low vitamin D levels in the body are frequently connected to health issues such as osteoporosis, cancer, depression, and muscular weakness.
But when is the right time to expose yourself to the sun remains unanswered. Several studies have shown that the optimal time to sunbathe is midday. The sun is at its greatest position at midday, and its UVB rays are the most strong. This means you get more vitamin D in less time.
Sunbathing for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes is recommended to absorb adequate vitamin D for the day. Noon is also the safest time to receive vitamin D because exposing your skin to the sun after noon might cause health problems.
Wear a short-sleeved or sleeveless blouse with shorts to expose the majority of your skin to the sun. Make sure you don't sit in the sun for too long because it might tan and sunburn your skin. You may protect your face from direct sunlight by wearing a hat and sunglasses. You may compensate for your body's vitamin D demand by sunbathing 3-4 times each week.
It is best to wear a hat to shield your face when sunbathing to protect your skin. Make sure you don't spend more than 30 minutes in bright sunshine and 10 minutes in direct sunlight. Spending too much time in the sun can result in sunburn, eye damage, and even heat stroke.
Scientists have developed gene-edited tomatoes that could be a simple and sustainable innovation to address the global health problem.
Researchers John Innes Centre in the UK used gene editing to turn off a specific molecule in the plant's genome which increased provitamin D3 in both the fruit and leaves of tomato plants. It was then converted to Vitamin D3 through exposure to Ultraviolet B light.
Vitamin D is created in our bodies after skin's exposure to UVB light, but the major source is food.
This new biofortified crop could help millions of people with Vitamin D insufficiency, a growing issue linked to higher risk of cancer, dementia, and many leading causes of mortality, according to the study, which appears in the journal Nature Plants.
Tomatoes naturally contain one of the building blocks of Vitamin D3, called provitamin D3 or 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), in their leaves at very low levels. Provitamin D3, does not normally accumulate in ripe tomato fruits.
Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to make revisions to the genetic code of tomato plants so that provitamin D3 accumulates in the tomato fruit. The leaves of the edited plants contained up to 600 microgram of provitamin D3 per gram of dry weight. The recommended daily intake of vitamin d is 10 micrograms for adults.
When growing tomatoes leaves are usually waste material, but those of the edited plants could be used for the manufacture of vegan-friendly Vitamin D3 supplements, or for food fortification.
"We've shown that you can biofortify tomatoes with provitamin D3 using gene editing, which means tomatoes could be developed as a plant-based, sustainable source of vitamin D3," said Professor Cathie Martin, corresponding author of the
"Forty per cent of Europeans have vitamin D insufficiency and so do one billion people world-wide. We are not only addressing a huge health problem, but are helping producers, because tomato leaves which currently go to waste, could be used to make supplements from the gene-edited lines," Martin added.
The study noted that the provitamin D enriched tomatoes could be much helpful for people adopting a plant-rich, vegetarian or vegan diet, and for the growing number of people worldwide suffering from the problem of vitamin D insufficiency.
Most people, however, are unaware that their vitamin D levels may impair their fertility.
What exactly is vitamin D?
The most common type of vitamin D is cholecalciferol, which is found in the skin as well as some foods and supplements. The prescription form of vitamin D is vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). According to one study, vitamin D3 is metabolised more efficiently than vitamin D2.
If we spend enough time in the sun, most of us can absorb all of the vitamin D we need. However, many women do not get enough sun exposure throughout the year to keep their vitamin D levels healthy. Because few foods are naturally high in vitamin D, getting enough of it through your diet may be difficult.
Other factors influence vitamin D levels. If you are overweight or have dark skin, you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. For these and other reasons, many women who are trying to conceive are likely to be vitamin D deficient.
What is the relationship between vitamin D and fertility?
Vitamin D has been linked to a number of health benefits. It appears to be linked to higher fertility and a healthier pregnancy in women trying to conceive.
According to Dr. Anubha Singh, Medical Director, Gynaecologist, and IVF specialist from Shantah Fertility Centre Vasant Vihar: "The research on vitamin D and natural fertility as well as effectiveness during fertility therapy is mixed. There are some studies showing that Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to higher success rates in both IVF and the transfer of frozen donor egg embryos. That link has not been proven in other investigations."
Although the data on vitamin D and fertility is inconclusive, several studies have found that women with Vitamin D blood levels of 30ng/ml have a higher rate of pregnancy than those with lower levels. According to studies, women with adequate Vitamin D levels are four times more likely to conceive through IVF than those with low levels.
How much vitamin D do I need?
"Because each person's vitamin D requirements are unique, a hydroxy vitamin D test is required to determine this. We advocate vitamin D supplementation only on this basis," added Dr. Anubha Singh.
Is vitamin D essential during pregnancy as well?
According to Dr. Shobha Gupta, Gynecologist and IVF Expert from Mother's Lap IVF Centre, Pitampura New Delhi "obtaining a normal vitamin D level appears to boost fertility as well as the chances of having a safe pregnancy. Preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia (extremely high blood pressure during pregnancy), and bacterial vaginosis have all been associated to vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy in studies. Taking a vitamin D supplement when pregnant is therefore beneficial to both mom and baby."
According to research, vitamin D supplementation of 2,000�4,000 IU is safe and beneficial in achieving a normal vitamin D level in pregnant women and avoiding vitamin D deficiency in infants.
Vitamin D Supplementation for Fertility
If you are trying to conceive or have already done so, it is important to ensure that you are getting enough Vitamin D. The sun is one of the best sources of Vitamin D, and getting at least 20 minutes of sun exposure per day is a good way to boost your levels.
"Nutritional supplements can be an important complement to your fertility treatment but they do not replace fertility evaluation and care. You should have your fertility evaluated if you are under 35 years old and have been having unprotected intercourse without conception for 1 year, after 6 months if you are between the ages of 35-39, and after 3 months if you are 40 and over. Women should consult their reproductive specialist before beginning any vitamin regimen" added Dr. Shobha Gupta
Aside from getting sunlight, you can also add Vitamin D to your diet by eating the following foods:
Fatty fish and seafood, including salmon, tuna and mackerel
Red meat
Liver
Egg yolks
Foods that have been fortified
Over consuming Vitamin D for an extended period can cause an excessive build-up of calcium in the body. This can lead to weaker bones as well as damage to the heart and kidneys. More than 100 micrograms of Vitamin D a day can be considered harmful. "Dietary fertility supplements and tablets are also available that contain Vitamin D, so if you are not inclined to the above foods, consider a supplement but only after your specialist's recommendation" said Dr. Anubha Singh.
Published in Frontiers in Aging, it is the first study to test the combined benefit of three affordable public health interventions for the prevention of invasive cancers - that has grown past the original tissue or cells where it developed, and spread to otherwise healthy surrounding tissue.
Apart from preventative recommendations such as not smoking and sun protection, public health efforts that focus on cancer prevention are limited, according to Dr Heike Bischoff-Ferrari of the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland.
"Preventive efforts in middle-aged and older adults today are largely limited to screening and vaccination efforts," Bischoff-Ferrari noted.
Studies have shown that Vitamin D inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
Similarly, Omega-3 may inhibit the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells, and exercise has been shown to improve immune function and decrease inflammation, which may help in the prevention of cancer.
However, there was a lack of robust clinical studies proving the effectiveness of these three simple interventions, alone or combined.
Bischoff-Ferrari and her colleagues tested the effect of daily high-dose Vitamin D3 (one form of Vitamin D supplements), daily supplemental Omega-3s, and a simple home strength exercise, alone and in combination, on the risk of invasive cancer among adults aged 70 or older.
The three-year trial, held in Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, and Portugal, involved 2,157 participants.
The results show that all three treatments (Vitamin D3, Omega-3s, and exercise) had cumulative benefits on the risk of invasive cancers, Bischoff-Ferrari said.
Each of the treatments had a small individual benefit but when all three treatments were combined, the benefits became statistically significant, and the researchers saw an overall reduction in cancer risk by 61 per cent.
"Our results, although based on multiple comparisons and requiring replication, may prove to be beneficial for reducing the burden of cancer," Bischoff-Ferrari said, adding the need for further studies.
On Sunday, India reported below 50,000 Covid cases after 40 days.
However, the death toll among people with comorbidities continues to rise in the country.
Dr Amitav Banerjee, Prof & Head of Community Medicines at D Y Patil Medical College Pune, says that the body needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D to maintain and support the immune system against Covid-19.
"Your body needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D to maintain and support the immune system. Studies have shown how Vitamin D deficiencies can reduce vaccine efficacy and also increase the severity of Covid infection in individuals."
Lifestyle changes do not only consist of diet and exercise but stepping outdoors for getting your mandatory dose of Vitamin D is also an important component of a healthy lifestyle, he added further while speaking on the importance of lifestyle in the prevention of diseases during Health4All Episode.
"We have found that young adults are about 4 times more likely to have Vitamin D deficiencies as compared to older adults due to the cultural and social changes that have taken over in the past few decades. Vitamin D deficiency is directly associated with the exposure of skin to the sun. We see even the traffic police are found Vitamin D deficient despite having good exposure to sunlight. They spend reasonably good time in the sunlight but their skin and face are covered and not exposed to the sunlight," added Dr Banerjee.
Dr Sujeet Kumar Singh, Director, National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), had also said recently that around 64 per cent deaths in Delhi are from the unvaccinated group with a major comorbid population.
While speaking at comorbidities and safety measures in Covid times, Dr Vikas Oswal, Managing Director, GIVA Foundation said, "Tuberculosis is one of the underlying respiratory problems that need special focus like we are paying to protect us from Covid. If the immune system is strong and TB bacteria enters your body it doesn't affect you much."
Several studies have also shown how Vitamin D deficiencies can reduce vaccine efficacy and also increase the severity of Covid-19 infection in individuals.
In a study led by Purdue University, researchers found that Vitamin D functions to reduce inflammation caused by immune cells, relevant to responses during severe Covid infection.
"Because the Vitamin D receptor is expressed on immune cells and because these cells can synthesise the active Vitamin D metabolite. Vitamin D also has the potential to modulate adaptive immune responses," Dr Sanjay Kumar Gogia, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, told IANS.
Further, Covid has been particularly worse to older adults, people with obesity and hypertension -- again a group with deficiency in Vitamin D.
Another study led by Bar-Ilan University in Safed, Israel, Vitamin D levels, prior to Covid infection, may increase severity of the disease as well risk of mortality.
The study found that patients with Vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 ng/mL) were 14 times more likely to have severe or critical cases of Covid than those with more than 40 ng/mL.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently stated that over 75 per cent of people who died due to Covid had comorbidities like uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, renal diseases and obesity.
"Low Vitamin D levels have been associated with an increased risk of community-acquired pneumonia in older adults and children," Gogia said.
He cited that in a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials, vitamin D supplementation was shown to protect against acute respiratory tract infection.
However, in few clinical trials, administering high doses of Vitamin D to critically ill patients with vitamin D deficiency (but not Covid-19) did not reduce the length of the hospital stay or the mortality rate when compared to placebos.
"The rationale for using Vitamin D is based largely on immunomodulatory effects that could potentially protect against Covid-19 infection or decrease the severity of illness," Gogia noted.
Vitamin D is most often recognised for its role in bone health, but low levels of the supplement have been associated with a range of autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases.
According to Dr Amitav Banerjee, Prof & Head of Community Medicines, D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, cultural and social changes have led to the condition that today "young adults are about four times more likely to have Vitamin D deficiencies as compared to older adults".
"Lifestyle changes do not only consist of diet and exercise but stepping outdoors for getting your mandatory dose of Vitamin D," Banerjee said.
"Your body needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D to maintain and support the immune system," he said.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that magnesium may play an important role in preventing conditions related to vitamin D levels.
People can increase magnesium intake through dietary changes. Foods with high levels of magnesium include dark leafy greens, beans, whole grains, dark chocolate, fatty fish such as salmon, nuts and avocados.
The researchers became interested in a role for magnesium because people synthesise vitamin D differently with levels of the vitamin in some individuals not rising even after being given high dosage supplements.
"Magnesium deficiency shuts down the vitamin D synthesis and metabolism pathway," said the study's lead author Qi Dai from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US.
The randomised study involved 250 people.
"A lot of people have received recommendations from their health care providers to take vitamin D supplements to increase their levels based upon their blood tests. In addition to vitamin D, however, magnesium deficiency is an under-recognised issue," said Martha Shrubsole from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
"Up to 80 percent of people do not consume enough magnesium in a day to meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) based on those national estimates," she added.
The study showed that vitamin D deficiency was associated with a 75 per cent increase in the risk of developing depression.
"This study shows that vitamin D is associated with a health condition other than bone health. What is surprising is the large effect on depression even after accounting for other control variables," said Eamon Laird, research candidate from the University of Dublin in Ireland.
"Given that vitamin D is safe in the recommended intakes and is relatively cheap, this study adds to the growing evidence on the benefits of vitamin D for health," said Laird.
For the study, published in The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (JAMDA), the team studied 4,000 community-dwelling people aged above 50 years.
"The new finding that the development of depression could potentially be attenuated by having a higher vitamin D status could have significant policy and practice implications for government and health services," said Rose Anne Kenny, Principal Investigator from the varsity.
"It is our responsibility to now ascertain whether supplementation will influence depression," she noted.
Another study, led by researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia and published in Scientific Reports, showed that newborns with vitamin D deficiency had a 44 per cent increased risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia as adults.
These findings are important as vitamin D status is relatively easy and inexpensive to modify through supplementation or fortification, the researchers noted.
Vitamin D comes in two types -- vitamin D2 and D3. While, vitamin D3 is produced in the human skin through exposure to the sun, the rest is ideally consumed through food such as fatty fish, chicken or eggs.
The findings, published in the journal Food Chemistry, revealed that products containing cocoa are indeed a source of vitamin D2. However, the amount varied greatly from food to food.
"This is not surprising as the cocoa content in white chocolate is significantly lower. It confirms our assumption that cocoa is the source of vitamin D2," said co-author Gabriele Stangl, Professor from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany.
The researchers said that brittle bones and an increased risk of respiratory diseases could be the result of a vitamin D deficiency and cocoa butter and dark chocolate have the highest amount of vitamin D2.
For the study, the research team investigated cocoa and cocoa products to ascertain whether or not it contained the important source of vitamin D.
Cocoa beans were dried after fermentation, placed on mats and exposed to the sun for one to two weeks.
While dark chocolate has a relatively high vitamin D2 content, very little amount of vitamin D was found in white chocolate, the researchers said.
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However, the researchers do not recommend consuming large quantities of chocolates.
"You would have to eat enormous amounts of chocolate to cover your vitamin D2 requirements. That would be extremely unhealthy because of the high sugar and fat content," Stangl noted.
The findings showed that higher levels of vitamin D -- well known for its benefits in building healthy bones -- may reduce breast cancer mortality by 50 per cent in women with lower body mass index (BMI).
Vitamin D reduces cancer risk by inhibiting cell proliferation, the researchers said.
"This study suggests that higher levels of vitamin D in the body are associated with lowered breast cancer risk," said JoAnn Pinkerton, Executive Director at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in the US.
"Vitamin D may play a role in controlling breast cancer cells or stopping them from growing. Vitamin D comes from direct sunlight exposure, vitamin D3 supplements, or foods rich in vitamin D," Pinkerton added.
Reproductive risk factors such as early onset of puberty, late menopause, later age at first pregnancy, never having been pregnant, obesity, and a family history have all been shown to be associated with breast cancer development.
For the study, published in the journal Menopause, the team involved more than 600 Brazilian women.
They found that postmenopausal women had an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency at the time of their breast cancer diagnoses, associated with higher rates of obesity, than women of the same age group without cancer.
The results showed that women in the highest quartile of vitamin D concentrations, in fact, had a 50 per cent lower death rate from breast cancer than those in the lower quartile, suggesting that vitamin D levels should be restored to a normal range in all women with breast cancer.
The study found that women with blood levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (OH) -- the main form of vitamin D in blood -- above 60 ng/ml (nanograms per millilitre) had one-fifth the risk of breast cancer compared to those with less than 20 ng/ml.
Thus, researchers from the University of California-San Diego determined that the minimum healthy level of 25(OH) in blood plasma should be 60 ng/ml, instead of the earlier recommended higher than the 20 ng/ml.
"Increasing Vitamin D blood levels substantially above 20 ng/ml appears to be important for the prevention of breast cancer," said lead author Sharon McDonnell from GrassrootsHealth, a non-profit public health research organisation.
The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, analysed data from two randomised clinical trials with 3,325 combined women and a prospective study involving 1,713 women with average age of 63.
Participants were free of cancer at enrollment and were followed for a mean period of four years. Vitamin D levels in blood were measured during study visits.
"This study was limited to postmenopausal breast cancer. Further research is needed on whether high 25(OH)D levels might prevent premenopausal breast cancer," said Cedric F. Garland from UC-San Diego.
Surprisingly, the same link was not true for boys.
"We also found that girls were stronger if their Vitamin D level was more than 50 nanomoles per litre. The most surprising finding was that this difference was only evident in girls and not in boys," said lead author Rada Faris Al-Jwadi from the University of Southern Denmark.
However, the study reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, offers no explanation for the difference between boys and girls.
But other studies on children and adults have shown that vitamin D increases the levels of IGF-I -- a growth factor that increases muscle strength.
However, the IGF-I level is different in boys and girls which could be part of the explanation.
"We can't, based on our data, conclude that girls will get stronger muscles if they got more vitamin D through their food, as supplement pills or because of more sun exposure which are some of the most important sources of Vitamin D. Even though, our association could mean exactly that," said Henrik Thybo Christesen, Professor at the varsity.
The study, published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, included 499 children aged five years.
In a hand grip strength test meant for children, girls with low vitamin D have a 70 per cent increased risk of being among the lowest 10 per cent.
The study showed no association with vitamin D levels in mothers during pregnancy or in the umbilical cord at birth. This leads to the conclusion that there is no prenatal programming effect of muscle strength.
"We are talking about a more immediate effect of Vitamin D," Jwadi said.
A team of researchers found that individuals with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml in blood plasma were at up to five times greater risk for developing diabetes than people with levels above 50 ng/ml.
"We found that participants with blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D that were above 30 ng/ml had one-third of the risk of diabetes and those with levels above 50 ng/ml had one-fifth of the risk of developing diabetes," said lead author Sue K. Park from the Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea.
For the findings, reported in the journal PLOS One, the team examined a cohort of 903 healthy adults (mean age: 74) with no indications of either pre-diabetes or diabetes.
The researchers identified the minimum healthy level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in blood plasma to be 30 nanogrammes per millilitre (ng/ml) and found to reach this, dietary supplements of 3,000 to 5,000 international units (IU) per day, less with the addition of moderate daily sun exposure with minimal clothing (approximately 10-15 minutes per day outdoors at noon) would be required.
The current recommended average daily amount of Vitamin D is 400 IU for children up to one year; 600 IU for ages one to 70 years (less for pregnant or breastfeeding women) and 800 IU for persons over 70, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Higher daily amounts of Vitamin D are generally considered safe, but blood serum levels exceeding 125 ng/ml have been linked to adverse side effects, such as nausea, constipation, weight loss, heart rhythm problems and kidney damage, the researchers said.
Rickets is a disease that leads to softening and weakening of bones in children due to Vitamin D deficiency.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, all babies must receive routine vitamin D supplementation of 400 international units (IUs) per day.
However, raising the standard supplementation of 400 IUs of vitamin D to 800 IUs daily would reduce the risk of low bone density in premature babies, said researchers from the University of Nebraska in Omaha, US.
In the study, published in the journal Plos One, the team evaluated two groups of premature infants -- with doses of 400 and 800 IU per day of vitamin D -- born between 24 to 32 weeks gestation for over four weeks.
Premature infants with additional dosage of 800 IUs per day showed improvement in growth of bone density, compared to those administered with 400 IUs per day.
They also saw improvement in growth that significantly decreased the risk of infants having very low bone density.
"We are hopeful that neonatologists will consider giving pre-term infants 800 IUs," said Ann Anderson Berry, Associate Professor at the varsity.
"We know that even with standard vitamin D dosing, we were still seeing a fair number of preterm infants who suffered from impaired bone health, yet this is another form of neonatal intensive care units therapy that can help decreasing that risk," Berry added.
As such children are picky eaters, sometimes parents of children with ASD try nutritional supplements and dietary regimens such as gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diets without professional supervision.
"Many families try a GFCF diet in an attempt to improve symptoms of ASD," said lead investigator Patricia A. Stewart, assistant professor of paediatrics at the University of Rochester's Medical Center.
For the study, 368 autistic children between 2 and 11 years of age were recruited and three-day food records were completed for the children by their care-givers.
The children were consuming similar amounts of micro-nutrients as children without ASD.
Although ASD children are given supplements more often 56 percent vs. 31-37 percent of the general population, even after supplementation, 40-55 percent were lacking in calcium and 30-40 percent were lacking in vitamin D.
"In clinical practice, each patient needs to be individually assessed for potential nutritional deficiencies or excess. When supplements are used, careful attention should be given to adequacy of vitamin D and calcium intake," Stewart added.
The study appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The study showed that when added to antibiotic treatment, vitamin D was found to treat TB specifically in patients with multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB.
The vitamin D supplementation was also found to be safe at the doses administered, with no links to serious adverse events, findings further revealed in the European Respiratory Journal.
"Multi-drug resistant TB is on the rise globally. It's notoriously difficult to treat, and it carries a much worse prognosis than standard TB," said Lead Researcher Adrian Martineau, Professor from Queen Mary University of London.
"Our study raises the possibility that vitamin D -- which is very safe and inexpensive -- could benefit this hard-to-treat group of patients by taking a novel approach to their treatment," said Martineau.
The immune system could be given a boost by adding vitamin D to antibiotic treatment to help the body clear TB bugs, rather than relying on antibiotics on their own to kill the bacteria directly, the study suggested.
While vitamin D is best known for its effects on bone health, previous studies have shown its role in protecting against colds, flu, asthma attacks, and that it can also protect chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients from deadly lung attacks.
MDR TB is caused by bacteria that are resistant to treatment with at least two of the most powerful first-line anti-TB drugs, causing around 500,000 cases and 150,000 deaths per year worldwide, the study noted.
For the study, researchers included 1,850 patients who received antibiotic treatment.
With over a billion people estimated to be affected, vitamin D deficiency -- a risk factor for depression, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, diabetes and cancer -- has reached epidemic proportions worldwide.
While traditional blood analysis captures the levels at a single time point, in contrast, hair, which grow at approximately one centimetre per month, could reflect vitamin D status over several months, capturing the large seasonal differences in the levels.
"The study presents the idea that vitamin D is being deposited continuously in the hair as it grows, more might be deposited at times when vitamin D concentration in the blood is high, and less when it's low," said lead author Lina Zgaga, Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin.
"Therefore, a test based on the hair sample might be able to give doctors a measure of vitamin D status over time -- if hair is long enough, this even might be over a few years," Zgaga added.
The findings were published in the journal Nutrients.
However, further research is needed to establish the exact relationship between vitamin D concentration in the blood and in hair over time.
There is also a need to investigate different factors that might affect vitamin D levels in hair, the most obvious ones being hair colour and thickness, or use of hair products such as hair dye, Zgaga said.
The discovery could also have other applications as hair (along with teeth) are some of the longest lasting surviving biological materials after death and thus it could be possible to assess the vitamin D status of historical populations - Elizabethans, Vikings, Celts, Romans, ancient Chinese, Egyptians, the researchers said.
"Asthma is an immune-mediated disease," said lead author Sonali Bose, Assistant Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
"From previous scientific studies we knew that vitamin D was a molecule that may influence asthma by impacting antioxidant or immune-related pathways," she added.
The researchers observed that having low blood vitamin D levels was related to harmful respiratory effects of indoor air pollution from sources such as cigarette smoke, cooking, burning of candles, and incense, among children with asthma.
Conversely, in homes that had the highest indoor air pollution, higher blood vitamin D levels were associated with fewer asthma symptoms in children.
Importantly, the findings showed that the effects were most pronounced among obese children, Bose said.
"This highlights a third factor at play here - the obesity epidemic - and helps bring that risk to light when considering individual susceptibility to asthma."
For the study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, the researchers tested three factors -- air pollution levels in homes, blood vitamin D levels, and asthma symptoms -- in 120 schoolchildren with pre-existing asthma. One-third of the children were obese.
"One way to increase blood vitamin D levels is to increase sun exposure, but that isn't always possible in urban environments, or in people with darker skin pigmentation," Bose said.
"Another way is through dietary supplements or eating more foods that are high in vitamin D, such as fatty fish, mushrooms, or foods fortified with vitamin D, such as bread, orange juice, or milk."
After referral to a kidney specialist and further testing, it was discovered that the man had been prescribed high doses of vitamin D by a naturopath, who recommended a dose of 8 drops every day, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Over two-and-a-half-years, the patient, who did not have a history of bone loss or vitamin D deficiency, took 8-12 drops of vitamin D daily, totalling 8,000-12,000 IU.
As a result, he had very high levels of calcium in the blood which left him with significant kidney damage.
The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 400-1000 IU, with 800-2000 IU recommended for adults at high-risk of osteoporosis and for older adults.
"Although vitamin D toxicity is rare owing to a large therapeutic range, its widespread availability in various over-the-counter formulations may pose a substantial risk to uninformed patients," said Bourne Auguste from the University of Toronto.
Clinicians must be aware of the risks of vitamin D use to limit complications related to hypercalcemia.
Calcium levels may get worse before getting better in patients even after cessation of supplements, as vitamin D is fat soluble.
"Our experience informs us that patients and clinicians should be better informed about the risks regarding the unfettered use of vitamin D," suggested the researchers.
Systolic refers to the first or top number in a blood pressure reading. High systolic blood pressure readings increase the risk of cardiovascular disease even when diastolic blood pressure, the second number in a blood pressure reading, is controlled.
"Our findings raise the possibility that screening and treatment of vitamin D deficiency with supplementation during pregnancy and early childhood might be an effective approach to reduce high blood pressure later in life," said lead author Guoying Wang, Assistant Scientist at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, US.
For the study, the researchers followed 775 children from birth to age 18 at the Boston Medical Center.
Low vitamin D levels were defined as less than 11 ng/ml (nanograms per millimetre) in cord blood at birth and less than 25 ng/ml in a child's blood during early childhood.
Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium for strong bones. It is made by our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight and found in a few foods, such as eggs, salmon and fortified milk products. It is also available as a vitamin supplement.
This finding by P.G. Talwalkar, Diabetologist at Shushrusha Hospital in Mumbai, further confirms that Vitamin D deficiency leads to chronic diseases.
"Pregnant women in India have up to 84 per cent prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, which also correlates with the level of Vitamin D deficiency in their newborns," said Srirupa Das, Medical Director, Abbott India, Mumbai.
"In adults, Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low bone mass and muscle weakness, which results in increased risk of fractures and bone disorders such as osteoporosis," Das said.
In the study conducted on 1,508 individual, researchers said that in Mumbai there is 88 per cent prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in urban adults.
It also revealed that 84.2 per cent of Type 2 diabetes patients were Vitamin D deficient, as were 82.6 per cent of hypertension patients.
"Our study also investigated co-occurrence of deficiency with hypothyroidism and obesity or overweight condition. A majority (76 per cent) of hypothyroid patients had low levels of vitamin D. Moreover, 82 per cent of patients were obese, indicating that there may be a link between the deficiency, its comorbidities and body weight," said Talwalkar.
"These findings highlight the need for routine screening to ensure early diagnosis and effective management of Vitamin D deficiency to help reduce the burden and risks associated with non-communicable disease," Talwalkar added.
The causes of Vitamin D deficiency in a sun-drenched country like India are manifold, said the researchers.
Most people do not receive adequate exposure to sunlight, as modernised lifestyles have resulted in less time spent outdoors for work or leisure.
Moreover, high levels of air pollution can hamper Vitamin D absorption in the skin.
Results have been mixed but show promise for some outcomes and now confirmed by updated meta analyses, according to the researchers.
"The pattern of findings suggests a complex balance of benefits and risks for each intervention and points to the need for additional research to determine which individuals may be most likely to derive a net benefit from these supplements," said study lead author JoAnn Manson from Harvard University.
Nearly 26,000 US men and women participated in the nationwide VITAL clinical trial.
After more than five years of study and treatment, the results show promising signals for certain outcomes.
For example, while Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) showed only a small, but non-significant, reduction in the primary cardiovascular endpoint of major CVD events, they were associated with significant reductions in heart attacks.
The greatest treatment benefit was seen in people with dietary fish intake below the cohort median of 1.5 servings per week but not in those whose intake was above that level.
The heart health benefits are now confirmed by recent meta-analyses of omega-3 randomised trials.
Similarly, vitamin D supplementation did not reduce major CVD events or total cancer incidence but was associated with a statistically significant reduction in total cancer mortality among those in the trial at least two years.
The effect of vitamin D in reducing cancer death is also confirmed by updated meta-analyses of vitamin D trials to date.
The study is scheduled to be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Chicago, September 25-28.
Maintaining skeletal muscle function throughout life is a crucial component of successful ageing, in promoting independence, mobility, quality of life and reducing falls and frailty.
While resistance exercise is known to preserve muscle function, there is growing evidence that adequate vitamin D status may also be protective.
"Our results show that vitamin D deficiency increased the likelihood of poor muscle function in older adults and confirms the protective effect of physical activity," said one of the study authors Maria O'Sullivan, Associate Professor in Nutrition at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland.
"Maintaining muscle function is incredibly important, and often overlooked, in promoting healthy ageing. Addressing this through multimodal approaches that incorporate physical activity, reversing vitamin D deficiency and other modifiable diet and lifestyle components require further investigation," O'Sullivan said.
The findings are based on the analysis of data from over 4,000 adults aged 60 years and over, from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA).
The prevalence of muscle weakness was twice as high among older adults with vitamin D deficiency compared with vitamin D adequacy, showed the findings published in the international journal Clinical Interventions in Ageing.
Similarly, impaired "muscle performance" was three times higher in older adults with vitamin D deficiency compared with vitamin D adequacy.
Based on more complex statistical analysis, the study showed that vitamin D deficiency significantly increased the likelihood of impaired muscle strength and performance.
The study confirmed the associated benefits of physical activity. Older adults partaking in regular moderate physical activity had a significantly lower likelihood of poor muscle strength and physical performance.
Vitamin D is a nutrient found in some foods that is needed for health and to maintain strong bones. It does so by helping the body absorb calcium (one of bone's main building blocks) from food and supplements.
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Some food items that are high in vitamin D are salmon fish, herring and sardines, cheese, cod liver oil, canned tuna, egg yolks, mushrooms and fortified foods.
People who get too little vitamin D may develop soft, thin, and brittle bones, a condition known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
The current study, published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, aimed to evaluate the association between dietary vitamin D intake and 10-year first fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD), conventional CVD risk factors and surrogate markers related to inflammation, coagulation, insulin resistance, liver and renal function.
The research from Harokopio University was conducted during 2001-2012 and included 1,514 men and 1,528 women from the greater Athens area, in Greece.
According to the researchers, dietary assessment was based on a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.
Daily intake of vitamin D was calculated using a standardised food database.
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The research found that in the lowest, middle, and highest categories of vitamin D intake, cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks and strokes) occurred in 24 per cent, 17 per cent, and 12 per cent of men and 14 per cent, 10 per cent, and 11 per cent of women.
In contrast with vitamin D supplementation trials that have shown modest to neutral beneficial effects on heart health, this study revealed that increased vitamin D intake from food sources may protect against heart-related problems, especially in men.
(IANS)
Previous observational studies have reported an association between low levels of vitamin D and susceptibility to acute respiratory tract infections.
"We found a significant crude relationship between average vitamin D levels and the number COVID-19 cases, and particularly COVID-19 mortality rates, per head of population across the 20 European countries," said study researcher Dr Lee Smith from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK.
According to the researchers, Vitamin D modulates the response of white blood cells, preventing them from releasing too many inflammatory cytokines. The COVID-19 virus is known to cause an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Italy and Spain have both experienced high COVID-19 mortality rates, and the new study, published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, shows that both countries have lower average vitamin D levels than most northern European countries.
This is partly because people in southern Europe, particularly the elderly, avoid the strong sun, while skin pigmentation also reduces natural vitamin D synthesis.
The highest average levels of vitamin D are found in northern Europe, due to the consumption of cod liver oil and vitamin D supplements, and possibly less sun avoidance.
Scandinavian nations are among the countries with the lowest number of COVID-19 cases and mortality rates per head of population in Europe.
"Vitamin D has been shown to protect against acute respiratory infections, and older adults, the group most deficient in vitamin D, are also the ones most seriously affected by COVID-19," Smith said.
A previous study found that 75 per cent of people in institutions, such as hospitals and care homes, were severely deficient in vitamin D.
"We suggest it would be advisable to perform dedicated studies looking at vitamin D levels in COVID-19 patients with different degrees of disease severity," Smith added.
"Our study does have limitations, however, not least because the number of cases in each country is affected by the number of tests performed, as well as the different measures are taken by each country to prevent the spread of infection," said Petre Cristian Ilie, lead urologist of Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust.
Another study, published last month in the journal Nutrients, suggested that supplements containing vitamins C and D and other micronutrients are a safe, effective and low-cost means of helping your immune system fight off COVID-19 and other acute respiratory tract diseases.
(IANS)
Following unverified reports that high doses of vitamin D could reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 and be used to successfully treat the virus, the new study, published in the journal BMJ, Nutrition, Prevention and Health, investigated the current scientific evidence base on the vitamin and its use in treating infections.
Vitamin D is a hormone, produced in the skin during exposure to sunlight, and helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
"An adequate level of vitamin D in the body is crucial to our overall health, too little can lead to rickets or the development of osteoporosis but too much can lead to an increase in calcium levels in the blood which could be particularly harmful," said study lead author Sue Lanham-New, Professor at the University of Surrey in the UK.
Examining previous studies in this field scientists found no evidence of a link between high dose supplementation of vitamin D in helping to prevent or successfully treat COVID-19 and cautioned against over-supplementation of the vitamin, without medical supervision, due to health risks.
Scientists said that assertions about the benefit of the vitamin in treating the virus are not currently supported by adequate human studies and are based on findings from studies that did not specifically examine this area.
Claims of a link between vitamin D levels and respiratory tract infections were also examined by scientists.
Previous studies in this area have found that lower vitamin D status is associated with acute respiratory tract infections, however, limitations of the findings of these studies were identified.
Findings from the majority of studies were based on data gathered from population groups in developing countries and cannot be extrapolated to populations from more developed countries due to external factors.
Scientists believe that there is currently no firm link between vitamin D intake and resistance to respiratory tract infections.
"Although there is some evidence that low vitamin D is associated with acute respiratory tract infections, there is currently insufficient evidence for vitamin D as a treatment for COVID-19 and over-supplementing must be avoided as it could be harmful," study researcher Carolyn Greig.
(IANS)
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Gastrointestinal mucositis is one adverse outcome of chemotherapy that has plagued cancer sufferers for years and, for which, no effective treatment currently exists.
The findings showed that vitamin D could potentially mitigate inflamed intestinal tracts and provide relief to cancer patients.
The study, published in the journal Supportive and Palliative Care, highlights the limited options for easing the gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapy, singling out Vitamin D and probiotics as the most promising.
"We already know that Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium, but new findings suggest it may also play an important role in chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis," said study lead author Cyan Sylvester from the University of South Australia.
"The severity and progression of various gastrointestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer, is associated with Vitamin D deficiency," Sylvester added.
"It appears that Vitamin D helps suppress inflammation and enhances the function of T-cells which boosts immunity," she explained.
Vitamin D is also thought to improve the efficacy of certain anti-cancer drugs.
The researchers are now working on ways to enhance the activity of vitamin D in the intestine as a more viable option for treating gastrointestinal mucositis.
"We know that Vitamin D definitely does more than help absorbs calcium, but we need to better understand and optimise its action in the gut before we can be 100 per cent confident that it could be a treatment option for gastrointestinal mucositis," said study researcher Andrea Stringer.
Probiotics (live bacteria and yeast) have also been widely promoted for digestive health and there is evidence they reduce the severity of diarrhoea and abdominal pain, but researchers have not been able to establish the direct effect of probiotics on intestinal function that reduces these side effects during and following cancer treatment.
"Vitamin D shows the most promise and could prove the key hormone to alleviate suffering for cancer patients," the study authors wrote.
(IANS)
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For the findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the research team examined inadequate nutrient intake and its relationship to poor bone health, specifically the risk of osteoporosis.
The team examined the relationship between markers of poverty with calcium and vitamin D intake and osteoporosis in Americans, 50 years and older.
"This study continues to demonstrate how prevalent nutrient deficiency is among the US population, and even more so, among lower-income individuals and those with food insecurities," said Susan Hazels Mitmesser from Pharmavite LLC, the makers of nature made vitamins, minerals and supplements, who conducted the study.
"Yet, we know that nutrient adequacy is imperative in supporting overall health and wellness, including immune health, at a time when that is heavy on everyone's mind," she added.
According to the study, 25 per cent of older US people live below the poverty line. Within this population, 68 per cent have inadequate calcium intake, and 46 per cent have inadequate vitamin D intake. Gender, ethnic, and socio-economic differences impact the overall risk for inadequate calcium and vitamin D intake and subsequent osteoporosis risk, as seen in some of the study key findings.
The findings also showed that US women over the age of 50 consistently have inadequate calcium intake, regardless of their economic status.
Inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D affects poverty-stricken men more than women with respect to osteoporosis risk.
It has been estimated in the US population aged 50 and older, about 10.2 million suffer from osteoporosis, and 80 per cent of these affected cases are females.
In addition, there are potentially 43.4 million people, or 44 per cent of the population with osteopenia, which is a bone condition that often leads to osteoporosis.
"Improving the consumption of nutrient-rich and fortified foods among individuals that live in poverty can help to decrease their chances of developing osteoporosis," the study authors wrote.
"Additionally, dietary supplements can play a critical role in helping any underserved population meet their nutrition needs," they noted.
(IANS)
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While we are confined to the house, it is important we maintain a regular routine which includes daily exercise, eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated, maintaining good gut health, getting adequate sleep, and managing stress levels.
Our immune system works as the frontline defence mechanism against disease-causing microorganisms and protects us from all viruses and microbes that our body is exposed to. A healthy lifestyle along with a well-balanced diet containing all the essential macro and micronutrients is vital for optimal functioning and maintenance of the immune system.
Protein is a versatile macronutrient that sustains life and has a particularly important role to play in boosting immune function. Though we all know about the importance of protein, Indians are deficient in our protein intake. On average an individual needs 0.8-1.0g of protein per kg ideal body weight. Recommendations may vary depending on several factors such as physical activity, age, co-morbid conditions like kidney disease etc. As per the General Consumer Survey (PRODIGY) conducted in 2015, 73 per cent of our population is deficient in protein intake with 93 per cent of our population being unaware of their daily protein requirements.
It is important to consume good quantity and quality of protein daily for the immune system to function at its best. A quarter of our plate at every meal must be protein.
A good quality first-class protein is one with high digestibility and has all the essential amino acids required by the body. Sources: all animal products like eggs, meat, fish, poultry, milk, milk products like curd, paneer, whey. Proteins that are partially lacking in one or more essential amino acids eg, cereals and pulses are called incomplete protein.
Combinations of foods such as cereal pulse combination like idli, dosa, pongal, khichdi, dal rice etc. in 4:1 proportion help improve the quality of protein in a vegetarian meal if you are unable to meet your protein requirements through diet alone, protein powders containing good quality protein can be included to bridge the gap. You can consult a qualified dietician to plan a diet tailor-made to meet your protein and nutrient requirements.
In addition to protein and vitamins, certain minerals like zinc, magnesium, selenium along with omega 3 fats play a key role in boosting immunity.
We can also give our immune system a boost by adding anti-viral foods easily available in our kitchen like garlic, fennel, ginger, cloves, tulsi, turmeric and coconut oil.
Making simple tweaks to your diet by including immune-boosting nutrients to help to fight infections. Lastly, do not forget to maintain hygiene by washing hands regularly, wear masks when out maintain physical distancing.
(IANS)
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According to the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, hospitalised Covid-19 patients who were vitamin D sufficient, with a blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D of at least 30 ng/mL (a measure of vitamin D status) had a significantly decreased risk for adverse clinical outcomes and death.
In addition, they had lower blood levels of an inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein) and higher blood levels of lymphocytes (a type of immune cell to help fight infection)."This study provides direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency can reduce the complications, including the cytokine storm (release of too many proteins into the blood too quickly) and ultimately death from Covid-19," said study author Michael F. Holick from the Boston University in the US.
For the findings, a blood sample to measure vitamin D status (measured serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D) was taken from 235 patients were admitted to the hospital with Covid-19.
These patients were followed for clinical outcomes including clinical severity of the infection, becoming unconscious, having difficulty in breathing resulting in hypoxia (low oxygen level) and death.
The blood was also analyzed for an inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein) and for numbers of lymphocytes. The researchers then compared all of these parameters in patients who were vitamin D deficient to those who were vitamin D sufficient.
In patients older than 40 years they observed that those patients who were vitamin D sufficient were 51.5 per cent less likely to die from the infection compared to patients who were vitamin D deficient.
Holic believes that being vitamin D sufficient helps to fight consequences from being infected not only with the coronavirus but also other viruses causing upper respiratory tract illnesses including influenza.
"There is great concern that the combination of influenza infection and a coronal viral infection could substantially increase hospitalizations and death due to complications from these viral infections," Holick noted.
Earlier this month, another study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, revealed that that vitamin D deficiency may raise the risk of getting novel coronavirus.
(IANS)
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