404 Vitamin D News [23 Jan 2017]

The days are slowly getting longer but we are still months away from even beginning to get any vitamin D from sunlight which will start mid-April. This week I will share several news items about this critical vitamin.

A large multi-ethnic cohort study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that maternal vitamin D deficiency (less than 25 nmol/L) during pregnancy was associated with a 3.8 times higher rate of autism-related traits in the children at 6 years of age. Other studies have shown vitamin D deficiency to nearly double the risk of premature birth.

An animal study published in Frontiers in Physiology suggests that vitamin D could play a role in preventing Metabolic Syndrome by modulating gut microbiota. Previous studies have shown an association between D deficiency and obesity, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), all part of Metabolic Syndrome. Mice fed a high fat, low D diet developed unhealthy gut flora, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, NAFLD, and elevated levels of inflammatory markers compared to the high fat, adequate D diet group.

In a randomized clinical trial, relapse rates for Crohn’s Disease patients were 33% for those receiving 10,000 IU vitamin D and 69% for those taking 1,000 IU. This strongly suggests that Crohn’s sufferers do better with higher D levels.

In a randomized controlled trial published in the journal Medicine, 120 adults with fatigue and vitamin deficiency (less than 50 nmol/L) received either a single dose of 100,000 IU vitamin D or placebo. The vitamin D group reported more significant improvement of fatigue than the placebo group.

Finally, William Grant of the Vitamin D Council calculated the benefits of raising the vitamin D levels of all Canadians to at least 100nmol/L. Levels currently vary with age and season but average 61 nmol/L with 92% (summer) and 96% (winter) below the target level. Based on published studies, Grant estimated reductions in incidences of cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes, MS, respiratory infections and musculoskeletal disorders. He then calculated a reduction in annual premature deaths of 23,000 and a saving of $12 billion per year. New evidence of stronger effects of D on the risk of Alzheimer’s and clinical depression would push these numbers even higher. What are we waiting for??

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.