vitamin D Archives - The Silver Ink

Vitamin D can cut low-grade prostate cancer progression: Study

March 23, 2015 By Stephanie James

A new study has found that the consumption of Vitamin D may help in lowering or even reversing the progression of prostate cancer that are of low-grade, facilitating a treatment methodology that require no surgery or radiation.

The researchers measured the aggressiveness of potentially cancerous tumors following a prostate biopsy on Gleason Grading System. The tumors with Gleason score of seven or above were considered aggressive with potential to spread, while those tumors with a score of six and below were considered less aggressive.

Bruce Hollis, a researcher at the Medical University of South Carolina, explains low-grade prostate cancer could be treated with the help of surgery. Hollis further recommended that a person must wait for 60 days from the time of his biopsy in order to undergo prostatectomy.

For the study, the researchers involved 37 men who were undergoing elective prostatectomies. Two groups were formed. The first group was given 4,000 U of vitamin D a day and the placebo group was not given vitamin D.

After a period of 60 days, the prostate glands of the participating men were removed for detailed examination.

The preliminary results showed that the men who had consumed Vitamin D showed greater improvements, while the placebo group either stayed the same or suffered worse condition.

The study’s results showed that Vitamin D triggered dramatic changes in the levels of many cell proteins and lipids.

The findings of the study will be presented at the 249th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Vitamin D supplements found ineffective in controlling blood pressure

March 19, 2015 By Stephanie James

A new study has found that vitamin D supplements are not efficient in lowering blood pressure as prior believed.

The researchers used a random effects model to study the role of Vitamin D in checking blood pressure problem and found no effective benefits in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

For the study, the researchers collected data of blood pressure from 46 different medical trials involving more than 4,541 participants who took vitamin D supplements for a minimum of four weeks.

The researchers called this trial a logical one observing that higher blood pressure patients have lower vitamin D levels. However, the results failed and so have several clinical trials failed with Vitamin D before.

According to them, there exists an association between low vitamin D levels and heart diseases or cancer. However, it is not casual.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said there is dearth of enough substantial evidence to determine how vitamin D levels could raise the risk or protect against cancer.

According to NIH, presence of too much Vitamin D in the blood can have adverse health effects. Some of the common health problems due to the excess of Vitamin D in blood are constipation, nausea, kidney damage in some cases and many more.

According to the researchers, neither high nor low level of Vitamin D is good for health. Previous studies have suggested that people with low Vitamin D levels could be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and die prematurely of cancer or other disease.

97 percent of African Americans and 75 percent of Caucasians have low levels of Vitamin D. This has compelled the doctors to reassess the normal level of this Vitamin type.

The researchers urged for more awareness and in-depth research work in understanding the role of vitamin D- its advantages and disadvantages.

The Vitamin D supplements are the second most recommended vitamin across the country after a multi-vitamin.

The findings of the research were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Vitamin D has no effect on blood pressure.

March 19, 2015 By Jeff Suchon

With the medical treatment being so expensive many people are turning towards taking better nutrient supplements and this makes it important to know which vitamin and mineral severs for which treatment. Such an example like vitamin A is very effective for sight.

Vitamin D was associated with reduction in blood pressure. But recent studies have denied the interrelation between vitamin D and health outcomes beyond falls, fractures, and possibly respiratory tract infection and also have no effect on either systolic or diastolic blood pressure.

David Agus, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Southern California comments that “People with higher blood pressure have lower vitamin D, so it was a logical trial to do, but it failed, and this is one of many trials that have failed with this vitamin.”

“Seventy-five percent of Caucasians and 97 percent of African Americans are low in D, so I think and the community thinks we now have to reassess what is normal,” Agus explains.

This study is important because more and more people are taking vitamin D to reduce blood pressure and it has become the most taken vitamin in the country after multivitamins.

This is a good study as it points out to the accuracy of information which doctors are telling to their patients and what the public believes about the benefits of nutrients. He further added that if the doctor tells the person to be on vitamin D, he would want you to say, where is the data that it will benefit me? And ask for the proof of effectiveness.

Vitamins and minerals supplements can provide health benefits, but it is significant to know how each vitamin works for best results.

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