Vitamin D Deficiency News and Research

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Experts evaluate plant-based diets for kids, urging nutritional care and supplementation

Plant-based diets for children and adolescents may offer health benefits but pose risks of nutritional deficiencies, requiring careful planning and professional oversight.

18 Nov 2024

Non-invasive, low-cost tool developed for assessing risk of vitamin D deficiency in young women

Vitamin D, an essential nutrient, is naturally produced through sun exposure and certain foods. However, excessive sunburn prevention measures are causing a severe problem of vitamin D deficiency, particularly among young women in Japan.

15 Nov 2024

Vitamin D may lower blood pressure in older people with obesity

Vitamin D3 supplementation with calcium reduces blood pressure in elderly, overweight individuals, particularly those with higher BMI and existing hypertension.

14 Nov 2024

Vitamin D receptor activation slows cell overgrowth in pulmonary hypertension

The study demonstrates that activating the vitamin D receptor (VDR) with calcitriol suppresses cell proliferation in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells, potentially reducing disease severity in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

12 Nov 2024

Vitamin D supplementation may decrease blood pressure in obese older adults

Vitamin D supplements may lower blood pressure in older people with obesity and taking more than the Institutes of Medicine's (IOM) recommended daily dose does not provide additional health benefits, according to new research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

12 Nov 2024

Low vitamin D associated with increased depression risk in pregnancy and after birth

Research indicates that low vitamin D levels may contribute to anxiety and depression in pregnant women, emphasizing the importance of adequate supplementation.

29 Oct 2024

Scurvy may be making a comeback amid economic strain

The scourge of scurvy, which is caused by vitamin C deficiency, may be re-emerging amid the cost of living crisis and the rise in weight loss (bariatric) surgery, suggest doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports after treating a middle-aged man with the condition.

22 Oct 2024

Can nori be a reliable vitamin B12 source for vegetarians?

A study shows that 5 g of nori per day improves vitamin B12 status in vegetarians, suggesting nori as an effective dietary source of this essential nutrient.

8 Oct 2024

Scurvy is not just an 18th-century seafarers' disease, study shows

Scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, is not just an 18th-century seafarers' disease, as a case study of a 65-year-old woman with mobility issues and social isolation shows.

7 Oct 2024

Current and emerging biomarkers in the management of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that significantly impacts the quality of life of patients.

12 Sep 2024

Study reveals a new target for universal treatment for autoimmune diseases

More than two decades ago, a research team in the lab of David Hafler, a Yale researcher who at the time was at Harvard, discovered a type of T cell in humans that suppresses the immune system; they later found that these so-called regulatory T cells, when defective, are an underlying cause of autoimmune disease, specifically multiple sclerosis (MS).

28 Aug 2024

SCARB2 deficiency disrupts bile acid metabolism and gut microbiome

The study details the connection between SCARB2 deficiency and gastrointestinal dysfunction, revealing that the loss of SCARB2 leads to alterations in bile acid metabolism and dysbiosis in the gut microbiome. This disruption affects the signaling pathway involving FXR, which normally regulates bile acid synthesis and intestinal lipid absorption. The hyperactive FXR in Scarb2-deficient mice leads to a decrease in epithelial cell turnover and lipid malabsorption, particularly impacting the absorption of vitamin E, which is crucial for maintaining neurological health. The researchers further explored the impact of these changes on the gut-liver axis and found alterations in the expression of genes related to bile acid synthesis.

23 Aug 2024

Vitamin D deficiency linked to higher cancer mortality

Researchers review how vitamin D deficiency affects the risk of cancer-related mortality.

20 Aug 2024

Scurvy on the rise in the United States: Pediatric cases triple in five years

Researchers found that pediatric scurvy cases tripled from 2016 to 2020, highlighting a significant rise in incidence, particularly among low-income, male, and autistic children.

19 Jul 2024

Archaea: Unseen players in human microbiome and infectious diseases

Archaea, key players in the human microbiome, are linked to various diseases but their pathogenic potential remains speculative. This study highlights their role in conditions like periodontitis and gastrointestinal infections.

16 Jul 2024

Targeted vitamin D supplementation may lower depression risk for deficient individuals, study finds

Targeted vitamin D supplementation for those with low levels can reduce the risk of depression, but shows no significant impact on chronic pain or other conditions.

7 Jul 2024

Decoding the significance of subnormal liver enzyme activity

Liver diseases are commonly diagnosed using serum enzyme assays, particularly for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT).

3 Jul 2024

Vitamin D for carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms

Study examines the impact of vitamin D supplementation on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients with low vitamin D levels, finding that it improves pain relief and symptom severity when added to corticosteroid therapy.

23 Jun 2024

Does diet influence the onset of multiple sclerosis?

A recent study using the UK Biobank data indicates that a healthy diet, including moderate fatty fish and alcohol consumption, can reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) onset.

5 Jun 2024

Most CDC-certified vitamin D tests are well calibrated, study says

Vitamin D tests certified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Clinical Standardization Programs (CSP) are well calibrated overall, according to a new study presented Sunday at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Boston, Mass.

3 Jun 2024