How much of Vitamin D we need Daily?

Prevalence of Vitamin D

• In the US, for example, more than 50 per cent of Hispanic and African-American adolescents (in Boston area) and 48 per cent white pre-adolescent girls in (Maine area) were found with 25 hydroxy-vitamin D concentration – 25(OH) D that is much below the cut-off level.
• In a study of Vitamin D levels in 3,000 teenagers (both boys and girls), the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, found that those with low levels of Vitamin D were 2.36 times more likely to suffer from hypertension, 2.5 times more likely to have blood sugar levels and four times more likely to have Metabolic Syndrome.

• Another trial involving girls aged between 12 and 14 years showed that those with lower Vitamin D levels had lesser muscle strength and weaker physical performance.

Deficiency in Adults and Children

Are dietary Solutions Available against Vitamin D Deficiency?

Who are at Risk for lack of Vitamin D?

• Exclusively breast-fed infants and children.
• Those aged over 65 years.
• Pregnant women.
• Fully-clothed individuals (like a burqua where hardly any part of the body is exposed to sunlight).
• Home – bound people.
• Institutional people.
• Obese individuals
• Vegetarians.
• Alcoholics.
• Users of sunscreens with high SPF (which block out UVA and UVB rays completely).
• People living at high altitudes.
• Dark skinned people, where skin pigmentation decreases the production of Vitamin D.

The study involved more than 10,000 Danes and was conducted by the University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen University Hospital.

Vitamin D deficiency has traditionally been linked with poor bone health. However, the results from several population studies indicate that a low level of this important vitamin may also be linked to a higher risk of ischemic heart disease, a designation that covers heart attack, coronary arteriosclerosis and angina. Other studies show that vitamin D deficiency may increase blood pressure, and it is well known that high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack.
 
Now examined the association between a low level of vitamin D and ischemic heart disease and death in the largest study to date. That low levels of vitamin D compared to optimal levels are linked to 40 percent higher risk of ischemic heart disease, 64 per cent higher risk of heart attack, 57 percent higher risk of early death, and to no less than 81 percent higher risk of death from heart disease.

Clinical Biochemical Department, Copenhagen University Hospital.

The higher risks are visible, even after adjustment for several factors that can influence the level of vitamin D and the risk of disease and death. This is one of the methods scientists use to avoid bias.

The population study that forms the basis for this scientific investigation is the Copenhagen City Heart Study, where levels of vitamin D were measured in blood samples from 1981-1983. Participants were then followed in the nationwide Danish registries up to the present.

With this type of population study, we are unable to say anything definitive about a possible causal relationship. But we can ascertain that there is a strong statistical correlation between a low level of vitamin D and high risk of heart disease and early death. Clinical professor at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and senior physician at Copenhagen University Hospital..

The explanation may be that a low level of vitamin D directly leads to heart disease and death. However, it is also possible that vitamin deficiency is a marker for poor health generally.

The scientists are now working to determine whether the connection between a low level of vitamin D and the risk of heart disease is a genuine causal relationship.

Skimmed milk


Skimmed milk contains not just loads of calcium, but also essential nutrients like potassium, magnesium and vitamin D that help to bring down blood pressure. Consuming skimmed milk also reduces the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases.

Bananas

You no longer need to think twice before indulging in this sweet treat. Studies conducted by Indian researchers at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal have revealed that people who eat two bananas a day can lower their blood pressure levels by 10%.

Spinach
Validated by Popeye himself, this green leafy vegetable is indeed a treasure trove of nourishment. Apart from containing high levels of heart-healthy ingredients like folate, potassium and magnesium, it is also high in fibre and low in calories.

Dark Chocolate

 
If you think chocolates did nothing good for the body, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association would prove you wrong. The study revealed that eating less than an ounce of dark chocolate a day helped in lowering blood pressure without visible weight gain.

Beet
 
One of the most best antidotes for blood pressure, numerous studies have proved the effectiveness of this vegetable. According to a UK study, volunteers who drank beet juice reported a significant drop in blood pressure within an hour of consumption.

Irregularities in Vitamin D levels common in city patients: survey

 vitamin D — either too much or too little. Metropolis Healthcare Limited conducted the survey between January and December 2011 in Mumbai. Vitamin D is primarily responsible for the absorption of calcium that is necessary for the growth of bones. 

 Of the 33,444 walk-in patients (comprising men, women and children) who were tested, 27,606 patients were found to have vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, or toxicity (excess vitamin D).

The normal value for vitamin D is 30-100 nanograms per millilitre of blood. “Usually, these patients suffer from bone pain or fatigue. Some patients are detected with osteoporosis,” said Dr Deepak Sanghavi, consultant pathologist, clinical chemistry, Metropolis Healthcare Limited.

Doctors said that Indians are prone to Vitamin D deficiency. “Indian skin is rich in melanin, which  prevents the skin from absorbing sunlight,” said Dr Shashank Joshi, consulting endocrinologist, Lilavati Hospital. Doctors said that a sedentary lifestyle, pollution and a vegetarian diet could hinder the body’s absorption of vitamin D.