Recent research shows that there is a new benefit tied to vitamin D supplements, they may actually help you live longer.
I had already written a blog about all the benefits that a Vitamin D supplement can provide and I will list that again at the end of this blog, but first a look at some of the new benefits.
In a recent article in the Globe authors Claire Thornton and Camilo Fonseca,Globe Staff discussed how there isnew evidence that taking vitamin D supplements can help offset biological aging at the cellular level, according to researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University.
The four-year study is the first large randomized clinical trial to examine the antiaging effects of vitamin D supplements commonly found at drug stores, the authors said.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May, analyzed biological aging among more than 1,000 participants, half of whom took vitamin D3 pills daily for four years. The other half took a placebo.
Participants in the vitamin D3 group took daily 2,000 IUs of the supplement, which is a dosage commonly found over-the-counter at neighborhood pharmacies.
Researchers looked for signs of aging in participants’ cells, which split as they replicate. Over a whole lifetime, a person’s chromosomes may appear more frayed because the cells have replicated so many times, scientists said. The authors also looked for antiaging effects of fatty acids, but that part of the study found “no significant effect.’’
The biggest discovery came when researchers saw that the chromosomes of people who took daily vitamin D3 pills appeared younger than those of the control group, said study author JoAnn Manson.
“It was intriguing that we found that vitamin D supplementation did protect against a key pathway of biological aging,’’ said Manson, a medical professor at Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Specifically, protective caps on the ends of chromosomes — which have long been known to shorten with age — measured longer at the end of the study in the vitamin D3 group, according to the study.
The shortening of the protective caps, called telomeres, is an “aging biomarker’’ that signals someone is more prone to inflammation and disease, Manson said.
Shorter telomeres lead the entire X-shaped chromosome to deteriorate with age, “which increases risks for chronic diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality,’’ the study said.
Michael Holick, a national expert on vitamin D, said the study’s findings are consistent with other research showing people with insufficient vitamin D3 levels are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and even infectious diseases.
“These data are very supportive of the fact that it definitely improves health outcomes,’’ said Holick, a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine who was not involved in the study.
On average, study participants who took daily vitamin D3 for four years had telomere lengths consistent with only one year of aging over that period, the study found. The telomeres of participants in the placebo group had average lengths consistent with four years of aging, scientists said.
“Over four years, there was protection against three years of biological aging through that pathway of telomere shortening, which was an intriguing finding,’’ Manson said.
Importantly, the study findings do not trump what doctors and scientists have long told patients about naturally occurring forms of vitamin D, Manson said.
“Most importantly, we are recommending that people try to follow a healthy diet that’s high in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, and really minimize processed and ultra processed foods,’’ she said.
Vitamin D supplements will never outweigh the positive biological effects of healthy diet and exercise regimens, which provide the human body with sufficient vitamin D, Manson said.
“We do believe that a healthy diet healthy lifestyle are paramount and will never be replaced by popping any pill,’’ she said.
Still, the study findings are important because they provide some proof that supplementing vitamin D intake in the winter months can have benefits at the cellular level, Manson said. People who have chronic conditions that prevent them from eating certain vitamin D-rich foods can also use vitamin D pills to effectively fill a nutritional gap, she said.
“It’s quite reasonable, as a form of insurance to take 1,000 to 2,000 IUs a day if you have concerns about getting adequate intake from the diet or time spent outdoors,’’ Manson said.
Holick, who is known for discovering the major form of vitamin D that circulates in human blood, said he recommends his patients take at least 2,000 IUs of vitamin D3 daily.
“The data is very clear — if you are vitamin D deficient, you’re at more increased risk of mortality,’’ he said.
In addition here is some more information on Vitamin D and how it is vital for your health.
It is now November. This is the time of year when the amount of sunlight is near its lowest and chances are you are not getting enough vitamin D. It is estimated that over one billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency.
Recent statistics show that most people aren’t getting enough vitamin D to stay healthy. This is called vitamin D deficiency. You may not get enough vitamin D if:
- You don’t get enough sunlight. Your body is usually able to get all the vitamin D it needs if you regularly expose enough bare skin to the sun. However, many people don’t get enough sunlight because they spend a lot of time inside and/or because they use sunscreen. It’s also difficult for some people to get enough vitamin D from the sun during the winter.
- You don’t take supplements. It’s very difficult to get enough vitamin D from the foods you eat alone.
- Your body needs more vitamin D than usual, for example if you’re obese or pregnant.
WHO IS AT RISK FOR VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
- People with darker skin. The darker your skin the more sun you need to get the same amount of vitamin D as a fair-skinned person. For this reason, if you have dark skin, you’re much more likely to have vitamin D deficiency that someone who is fair skinned.
- People who spend a lot of time indoors during the day.
- People who cover their skin all of the time. For example, if you wear sunscreen or if your skin is covered with clothes.
- People that live in the North of the United States or Canada. This is because there are fewer hours of overhead sunlight the further away you are from the equator.
- Older people have thinner skin than younger people and this may mean that they can’t produce as much vitamin D.
- Infants that are breastfed and aren’t given a vitamin D supplement. If you’re feeding your baby on breast milk alone, and you don’t give your baby a vitamin D supplement or take a supplement yourself, your baby is more likely to be deficient in vitamin D.
- Pregnant women.
- People who are very over weight (obese).
Regardless of cause, deficiency of vitamin D has significant medical and psychological consequences. Every tissue in the body has vitamin D receptors, including the brain, heart, muscles, and immune system, which means vitamin D is needed at every level for the body to function.
Vitamin D is also the only vitamin that is a hormone. After it is consumed in the diet or absorbed (synthesized) in the skin, vitamin D is then transported to the liver and kidneys where it is converted to its active hormone form. Vitamin D as a hormone assists with the absorption of calcium, helping to build strong bones, teeth and muscles.
In addition to its well-known role in calcium absorption, vitamin D activates genes that regulate the immune system and release neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine, serotonin) that affect brain function and development. Researchers have found vitamin D receptors on a handful of cells located in regions in the brain-the same regions that are linked with depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a mood disorder featuring depressive symptoms, occurs during the dark times of the year when there is relatively little sunshine, coinciding with the sudden drop in vitamin D levels in the body. Several studies have suggested that the symptoms of SAD may be due to changing levels of vitamin D3, which may affect serotonin levels in the brain.
Mental health is one of many types of ailments connected to vitamin D deficiency. For more information on vitamin D and its links to mental and physical health please visit the organization Vitamin D Council at www.vitamindcouncil.org founded by Executive Director John J. Cannell, M.D. Cannell, a trained psychiatrist, founded the Vitamin D Council in 2003 with a keen interest in clinical nutrition and a strong conviction that vitamin D deficiency, a highly preventable yet prevalent condition, contributes to many physical and psychological conditions affecting scores of people.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are sometimes vague and can include tiredness and general aches and pains. Some people may not have any symptoms at all.
If you have a severe vitamin D deficiency you may have pain in your bones and weakness, which may mean you have difficulty getting around. You may also have frequent infections. However, not everyone gets these symptoms.
If you think you may have vitamin D deficiency, you should see your physician, or have a blood test to check your vitamin D levels.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE DEFICIENT?
The way doctor’s measure if you’re deficient in vitamin D is by testing your 25(OH) D level, but most doctors just call this a vitamin D blood test. Getting this blood test is the only accurate way to know if you’re deficient or not, so ask your PCP this test.
HOW CAN YOU GET MORE VITAMIN D?
There are two ways to get more vitamin D: by exposing your bare skin to the sun or by taking vitamin D supplements.
This time of year there is much less sunlight, so it a good time to take supplements.
WHAT DO WE NEED VITAMIN D FOR?
- It is crucial for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which have various functions, especially the maintenance of healthy bones.
- It is an immune system regulator.
- It may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, say scientists from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Children’s Hospital Boston.
- It may reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is much less common the nearer you get to the tropics, where there is much more sunlight, according to Dennis Bourdette, chairman of the Department of Neurology and director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Oregon Health and Science University, USA.
- Vitamin D may have a key role in helping the brain to keep working well in later life, according to a study of 3000 European men between the ages of 40 and 79.
- Vitamin D is probably linked to maintaining a healthy body weight, according to research carried out at the Medical College of Georgia, USA.
- It can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms, and also the likelihood of hospitalizations due to asthma, researchers from Harvard Medical School found after monitoring 616 children in Costa Rica.
- It has been shown to reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women.
- A form of vitamin D could be one of our body’s main protections against damage from low levels of radiation, say radiological experts from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
- Various studies have shown that people with adequate levels of vitamin D have a significantly lower risk of developing cancer, compared to people with lower levels. Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, in a study carried out by Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
What are the best supplements?
We offer Metagenics Vitamin D3 which is the best form of Vitamin D to take:
This is the version your body prefers, one Ultra concentrated Metagenics Vitamin D3 soft gel that is easy to swallow has 5000 IU in a single dose. You can get yours here at Performance Health Center.
We have also made it easy for you to enjoy the convenience of ordering nutritional supplements online and save!
Visit and order directly from our Metagenics site: Performancehealth.metagenics.com
If you have any questions about this blog or your health in general please feel free to contact me at: drtomball@performancehealthcenter.com