Numerous new studies are being published regarding the health benefits of vitamin D3 and the negative consequences of deficiency. These studies are of particular interest as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency jumped from 55 percent in 1988-1994 to 77 percent in 2001-2004.

Vitamin D, also known as calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be produced by the body as well as obtained in the diet.

New studies are confirming that vitamin D3 insufficiency plays a role in numerous conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, decreased bone density, immune functions, fat deposition, diabetes and many others.

Bone Health

It is well-established that vitamin D3 and its relationship to calcium uptake and deposition plays a significant role in bone metabolism. Extreme vitamin D deficiency results in rickets and osteomalacia. However, long-term vitamin D insufficiency may also result in osteoporosis.

Cardiometabolic Disorders

Cardiometabolic disorders including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome have been associated with vitamin D3 deficiency. The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of risk factors that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease and stroke. These conditions are increasingly common.

Depression

Researchers have linked vitamin D deficiency to depression. In a recent randomized, double blind controlled trial, subjects with low vitamin D had significantly more depressive traits.

Cancer Risk

Vitamin D3 deficiency has also been associated with increased cancer risk. A meta-analysis of 11 studies found that individuals with the highest serum levels of D3 had a decreased risk of developing breast cancer by 45 percent compared to the subjects with the lowest serum D3 levels.

Recent research has also shown that subjects with the highest serum levels of D3 have a 40 percent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to individuals with the lowest D3 serum levels.

Weight Management, Pregnancy and Others

Two studies have recently been published regarding vitamin D3 deficiency and fat deposition. The studies showed that low serum levels of D3 was associated with increased fat infiltration in muscle tissue.

Another interesting area of vitamin D research is related to deficiency during pregnancy.  Adverse health outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, low birth-weight, low calcium in neonatal blood, poor postnatal growth, bone fragility, and increased incidence of autoimmune diseases have been linked to low vitamin D3 serum levels during pregnancy and infancy.

Other interesting recently published studies have associated low levels of vitamin D3 with increased risks of upper respiratory infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, childhood asthma and allergies and decreased cognitive function.

Conclusion

Vitamin D3 deficiency is surprisingly common. The vast amount of new research regarding the diverse health benefits of vitamin D3 supplementation makes this essential vitamin an integral part of both health optimization and maintenance programs.

In an article published online on October 11, 2011 in the journal PLoS Medicine, Dr Jamie Engert at McGill University in Montreal and his associates report that the risk conferred by a gene variant known to be a strong marker for cardiovascular disease is minimized by consuming a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. It is known that 9p21 genetic variants increase the risk of heart disease for those that carry it.

The researchers genotyped four variants in the 9p21 chromosome region of 8,114 participants in the INTERHEART study, a case-control study of men and women of varying ethnic backgrounds that compared those who had had an acute non-fatal heart attack to similar subjects without heart disease. Additionally, 9p21 variants were analyzed in 19,129 participants in the FINRISK study, of whom 1,014 had cardiovascular disease. Dietary questionnaires ascertained the frequency of intake of vegetables, fruits and other foods.

What this research shows is that the effect of a high-risk genotype can be mitigated by consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Another reference  supporting the public health recommendation to consume more than five servings of fruits or vegetables per day as a way to promote good health.

Subjects whose intake of vegetables and fruit was low had the greatest risk of cardiovascular disease in association with a 9p21 variant compared to those whose intake was high. Among INTERHEART participants who consumed a diet rich in fruit and raw vegetables, the risk of heart attack was similar between carriers and non-carriers of a specific single nucleotide polymorphism in the 9p21 region. In the FINRISK study, having a high risk genotype was associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease among those with low or average intake of fruit, vegetables and berries, yet among those whose intake of these foods was high, the variant appeared to have no effect.

This research suggests there may be an important interplay between genes and diet in cardiovascular disease.

 

EXERCISE is a “wonder drug” for cancer survivors and may even prevent the disease coming back, according to a report published today.

Macmillan Cancer Support said physical activity should be “prescribed” by doctors after “hard evidence” showed it can significantly help recovery and prevent other long-term illnesses. Rather than patients being told to “rest up” as in the past, doctors must encourage people to get moving as soon as they feel able.

A review of more than 60 studies for the charity found people undergoing treatment for cancer – as well as survivors – could benefit from exercise.

Women with breast cancer who exercise for 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity have a more than 40% lower risk of dying and recurrence of disease compared to women who are active for less than one hour a week.

During treatment, being active does not worsen people’s fatigue and has positive effects on mood and wellbeing, the study said.

Results of two studies on bowel cancer also show the risk of dying or the disease coming back is cut by about 50% in patients taking six hours a week of moderate intensity exercise.

Once treatment has finished, exercise can reduce the impact of side effects, such as swelling around the arm, anxiety, depression, fatigue, impaired mobility and changes to weight. “Long term, it is an effective way to help recover physical function, manage fatigue, improve quality of life and mental health, and control body weight,” the report said. The research also showed exercise had an impact on preventing recurrence of a few specific cancers.

Prostate cancer patients have around a 30% lower risk of dying from the disease and a 57% lower rate of disease progression if they do three hours of moderate intensity exercise a week.

Researchers in Denmark say cholesterol deposits on eyelids — xanthelasmata — may predict a greater chance of heart disease.

The Copenhagen University Hospital and University of Copenhagen researchers point out half of the people with the deposits have normal blood cholesterol levels so the lesions may be an important independent marker of underlying artery disease.

The study established either the presence or absence of xanthelasmata in 12,939 people. Of these, 1,903 developed heart attacks, 3,761 developed ischemic heart disease and 8,663 died during up to 33 years of follow-up.

Xanthelasmata predicted 51 percent increased risk of heart attack and 40 percent increased risk of ischemic heart disease. Those with xanthelasmata also had a 17 percent increased risk of death after adjustments for well-known cardiovascular risk factors, including blood cholesterol levels.