Vitamin D might not be as effective as considered
Vitamin D is not that efficient as normally it is considered.
This has been concluded by two researches published in December 20 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers have found, after working on hundreds of previous studies, that extra dose of Vitamin D alone, in doses ranging from 400 to 1,370 IU per day, cannot prevent from fractures. However, Vitamin D and calcium together may help in protection against fractures in elderly people especially in women but have little or no impact on cancer risk according to the research prepared for US Preventive Services Task Force by Mei Chung, PhD, MPH, from Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. Researchers have found, through 11 studies conducted on more than 52,000 people followed for one to seven years, that there was a 12% reduction in the risk of breakage of bone in people who were taking 300 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D each day, along with 500 to 1,200 milligrams of daily calcium.
Moreover, there are not many evidences in the helpful use of Vitamin-D in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
“It turns out that as a group, all of the micronutrient supplements have been disappointing,” said Dr. Michael Pollak, who heads the division of cancer prevention at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and was not involved in the new work.
“Even one of the best candidates, which is vitamin D, is certainly no slam dunk,” he told Reuters Health.
“For many years, the enthusiasm for vitamin D has outpaced the evidence,” says JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, who heads the division of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
“The evidence is actually fairly thin,” especially for any benefits beyond bone health, she says.
In one study, researchers have found an increased risk of bladder stones and kidney stones among women taking Vitamin-D supplements.
Reference:
Cora McGreevy, MB, BCh, BAO; and David Williams, MB, BAO, BCh, PhD, (2011). New Insights About Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease. A Narrative Review. Annals of Internal Medicine, 155(12), 820-826.
Mei Chung, PhD, MPH; Jounghee Lee, PhD; Teruhiko Terasawa, MD, PhD; Joseph Lau, MD; and Thomas A. Trikalinos, MD, PhD, (2011). Vitamin D With or Without Calcium Supplementation for Prevention of Cancer and Fractures: An Updated Meta-analysis for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Annals of Internal Medicine, 155(12), 827-838.
