VITAMIN D

We are back after what I feel is a well deserved summer break.  Since our last blog there has been increasing interested in the use of vitamin D3 as a supplement for a variety of different health issues.  We will explore some of them discussed in articles from medical journals.

Vitamin D for prevention of falls--the following is a consensus statement from the American Geriatrics Society on the use of vitamin D and preventing falls.  The information was derived from a variety of different research studies that were grouped together.  The conclusion was that blood levels of vitamin D over 30 was a minimum goal to achieve in older adults, especially frail adults who were at higher risk for falls and injuries and fractures from falls.  The conclusion was that by achieving a vitamin D level over 30, there were fewer falls and by strengthening the bones there were fewer fractures and this goal was achieved safely.  They also concluded that it was safe and effective to supplement with vitamin D3 even without the appropriate blood test.  PMID 24350602

Uterine fibroids and vitamin D--in an NIH study from Research Triangle, North Carolina comes a study showing that vitamin D inhibits cell growth in fibroid tissue.  The study included women from ages 35 to 49 years.  Fibroids were determined by pelvic ultrasound and the vitamin D level was checked with the blood test.  In the study group 10% of blacks had vitamin D levels over 20 and 50% of whites had vitamin D levels over 20.  Women with vitamin D levels over 20 had a 32% lower risk of having uterine fibroids.  This particular study did not look at whether a vitamin D level over 30 had even greater benefit, and also emphasized the need of supplementing vitamin D in the African American population.  PMID 21736838

Vitamin D and prostate cancer--this study is from Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York.  It looked at 170 men with recurrent prostate cancer or localized prostate cancer and showed that the average vitamin D level in men with recurrent prostate cancer was 25.9.  Among all the men with prostate cancer, 32% had vitamin D levels over 30.  The conclusion was that vitamin D deficiency was common among men with prostate cancer.  Further studies will look at whether  supplementing vitamin D will help lower the risk of cancer.  PMID 19426195

Vitamin D 3 and prostate cancer--from the University of Southern California comes a study looking at a decrease in prostate cancer in biopsied tissue in men already diagnosed with prostate cancer after taking vitamin D3 4000 units per day for one year.  This dose of vitamin D by mouth and  considered safe and without side effects.  55% of the man on vitamin D supplementation had a decrease in the number of positive biopsies after one year on the supplement.  This is especially useful in man who are observing the cancer and not on an active treatment program.  It represents a safe and natural way to help deal with the cancer.  PMID 23220550

Vitamin D and lethal prostate cancer--from the Harvard school of Public health in Boston comes a study of 1260 men diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Higher vitamin D levels were associated with a 57% reduction in the risk of death from prostate cancer.  This was showing that even in the more advanced stages, there was a benefit for man with prostate cancer to have adequate intakes of vitamin D in order to keep the blood level over 30.  PMID 22499501

I hope these studies have been of interest and we will continue to pursue studies and vitamin D as well as our old friend resveratrol.  Until next time, Dr. Bob