Vitamin D Deficiency News and Research

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High vitamin D level improves survival rate in heart failure patients: Study

Survival rates in heart failure patients with reduced levels of vitamin D are lower than in patients with normal levels. This is the finding of a major study carried out at University Medical Center, Groningen, Netherlands. Results also suggest that low levels of vitamin D are associated with activation of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS - a pivotal regulatory system in heart failure) and an altered cytokine profile.

2 Sep 2010

Education and caution needed before taking nutritional supplements to reduce cancer risks

Men and women should educate themselves and use caution before taking nutritional supplements to reduce their cancer risks, according to experts at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.

20 Aug 2010

Emisphere second-quarter net loss increases to $13.7 million

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced financial and operational results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

16 Aug 2010

Supplementation of vitamin D protects vascular systems: Study

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with arterial stiffness, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, in black teens according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Black teens taking vitamin D supplementation of 2,000 international units (IU) per day had a decrease in central arterial stiffness.

30 Jul 2010

New study shows vitamin D deficiency is associated with arterial stiffness

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with arterial stiffness, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, in black teens according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's www.endo-society.org. Black teens taking vitamin D supplementation of 2,000 international units per day had a decrease in central arterial stiffness.

29 Jul 2010

New study reveals potential role of TGF-β1 in kidney disease

Fibrosis in the kidney is one of the key causes of progressive renal failure. High levels of the inflammatory molecule TGF-β1 in the kidney tubules due to tissue damage can cause fibrosis as well as nephron degeneration, resulting in loss of kidney function. To clarify the mechanisms regulating TGF-β1-mediated renal fibrosis, Koesters et al expressed high levels of TGF-β1 in renal tubules of mice. Nephron degeneration in this system was mediated by decomposition of the tubular cells. These data suggest that TGF-β1 may play a novel role in cell death of renal cells, thus contributing to renal fibrosis.

28 Jul 2010

Mother’s obesity surgery may cause vitamin deficiencies in children

Biliopancreatic diversion surgery for morbid obesity is known to cause multiple vitamin deficiencies that may worsen during pregnancy. In the June issue of the Journal of AAPOS, the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, a group of Australian clinicians report a child who was born blind as a result of Vitamin A deficiency caused by his mother's obesity surgery.

17 Jul 2010

Researchers issue a call to improve prevention, treatment of osteoporosis

A comprehensive Argentinean epidemiological study reveals the staggering costs of osteoporosis in the country.

15 Jul 2010

CMAJ publishes new, updated guidelines on vitamin D

New and updated guidelines on recommended vitamin D intake have been published this week in the online issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

14 Jul 2010

Older adults with low levels of vitamin D more likely to experience cognitive decline: Report

Older adults with low levels of vitamin D appear more likely to experience declines in thinking, learning and memory over a six-year period, according to a report in the July 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

13 Jul 2010

Studies support association of physical activity, diet with maintaining cognitive ability, reducing dementia risk

Evidence from three long-term, large-scale studies supports the association of physical activity and certain dietary elements (tea, vitamin D) with possibly maintaining cognitive ability and reducing dementia risk in older adults, according to new research presented today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2010 in Honolulu, HI.

12 Jul 2010

Vitamin D receptor emerges as key player amid gut bacteria, scientists find

Within the human digestive tract is a teeming mass of hundreds of types of bacteria, a potpourri of microbes numbering in the trillions that help us digest food and keep bad bacteria in check.

8 Jul 2010

Vitamin D inadequacy may cause metabolic syndrome among elderly people

A new study adds to the mounting evidence that older adults commonly have low vitamin D levels and that vitamin D inadequacy may be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome, a condition that affects one in four adults. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

2 Jul 2010

Tanning protects skin from harmful sun rays

People who remain pale and never tan can blame their distant ancestors for choosing to live in the northern reaches of the globe and those who easily achieve a deep tan can thank their ancestors for living in the subtropical latitudes, according to Penn State anthropologists.

25 Jun 2010

Researchers endorse, modify vitamin D theory of autism

A Scientific American article asks, "What if Vitamin D Deficiency is a Cause of Autism?" How could vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy cause autism, a genetic disease? Indeed, five researchers at Harvard, led by Dr. Dennis Kinney, recently endorsed and then modified the vitamin D theory of autism.

24 Jun 2010

Study shows vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with Type 2 diabetes

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with Type 2 diabetes and may be associated with poor blood sugar control, according to a new study. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

22 Jun 2010

Recommended supplementation not sufficient to normalise vitamin D levels in RA patients: Study

Two separate studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with a range of rheumatic diseases, with over half of all patients having below the 'normal' healthy levels of vitamin D (48-145 nmol/L) in their bodies. A further study assessing response to vitamin D supplementation found that taking the recommended daily dose did not normalise vitamin D levels in rheumatic disease patients.

18 Jun 2010

Vitamin D may help reduce incidence, severity of viral respiratory tract infections: Study

Vitamin D may help reduce the incidence and severity of viral respiratory tract infections including influenza, according to a new study conducted by investigators at Greenwich Hospital and Yale University School of Medicine.

16 Jun 2010

SciMed Technologies receives certification for VitaKit A from AOAC International

SciMed Technologies Inc. today announces they received certification from the AOAC International - a worldwide scientific association dedicated to analytical excellence - for VitaKit A the world's first 2 hour rapid test for accurate analysis of vitamin A in liquid milk.

8 Jun 2010

Mayo Clinic research reveals increase in incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in women

The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women has risen during the period of 1995 to 2007, according to a newly published study by researchers from the Mayo Clinic. This rise in RA follows a 4-decade period of decline and study authors speculate environmental factors such as cigarette smoking, vitamin D deficiency, and lower dose synthetic estrogens in oral contraceptives may be the source of the increase.

27 May 2010