Low magnesium levels makes Vitamin D ineffective

Vitamin D can't be metabolized without sufficient magnesium levels. Without magnesium, Vitamin D is not really useful or safe," says study co-author Mohammed S. Razzaque, MBBS, PhD, a professor of pathology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Razzaque explains that consumption of Vitamin D supplements can increase calcium and phosphate levels even if Vitamin D is deficient. People may suffer from vascular calcification if their magnesium levels aren't high enough to prevent the complication.

Patients with optimum magnesium levels require less Vitamin D supplementation to achieve sufficient Vitamin D levels. Magnesium also reduces osteoporosis, helping to mitigate the risk of bone fracture that can be attributed to low levels of Vitamin D. Deficiency in either of these nutrients is reported to be associated with various disorders, including skeletal deformities, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome.

While the recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 420 mg for males and 320 mg for females. Magnesium status is low in people who consume processed foods that are high in refined grains, fat, phosphate, and sugar. Consuming an optimal amount of magnesium may lower the risks of Vitamin D deficiency, and reduce the dependency on Vitamin D supplements.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body after calcium, potassium, and sodium. Foods high in magnesium are almonds, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, cashews, egg yolk, fish oil, flaxseed, green vegetables, milk, mushrooms, nuts, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sweet corn, tofu, and whole grains.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Calcium and Vitamin D supplements not responsible for heart attack

New research from the University of Southampton has found no association between the use of calcium or vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. Calcium and vitamin D supplements, which usually come in the forms of tablets, are widely used and have been generally viewed as relatively safe, but some researchers have previously raised concerns over potential links with cardiovascular disease.

Investigators from the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton (MRC LEU), used the internationally unique UK Biobank cohort, comprising over 500,000 men and women aged between 40 and 69 years, to explore relationships between use of calcium and vitamin D supplementation and the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.

The analysis accounted for a wide range of other potential influences, and did not detect any statistically significant associations between use of the supplements and events such as heart attacks, hospital admission for angina, or related deaths.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements are widely used in the population, and are particularly appropriate for those at risk of deficiency in either nutrient. In this situation there is good evidence that they provide a modest reduction in fracture risk, although do not replace medications specifically licensed for the treatment of osteoporosis.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Vitamin D could prevent cardiovascular damage

A new study conducted by Ohio University scientists suggests that a little more sunlight might restore damage to cardiovascular system. The study shows that vitamin D3 which is made by the body naturally when skin is exposed to the sun can significantly restore the damage to the cardiovascular system caused by several diseases like hypertension, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Vitamin D3 is associated with the bones. However, in recent years, in clinical settings people recognize that many patients who have a heart attack will have a deficiency of D3. It doesn't mean that the deficiency caused the heart attack, but it increased the risk of heart attack. Nanosensors shows that vitamin D3 can be beneficial, especially for the function and restoration of the cardiovascular system.

A major discovery from these studies is that vitamin D3 is a powerful stimulator of nitric oxide (NO), which is a major signaling molecule in the regulation of blood flow and the prevention of the formation of clots in the cardiovasculature. Additionally, vitamin D3 significantly reduced the level of oxidative stress in the cardiovascular system. Treatment with vitamin D3 can significantly restore the damage to the cardiovascular system caused by several diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes, while also reducing the risk of heart attack.

These studies, performed at Ohio University, are the first to identify the molecular mechanism of vitamin D3-triggered restoration of the function of damaged endothelium in the cardiovasculature. While these studies were performed using a cellular model of hypertension, the implication of vitamin D3 on dysfunctional endothelium is broader. The dysfunction of endothelium is a common denominator of several cardiovascular diseases, particularly those associated with ischemic events.

Vitamin D3 may be of clinical importance in the restoration of dysfunctional cardiac endothelium after heart attack, capillary endothelium after brain ischemia (stroke), hypovolemia, vasculopathy, diabetes and atherosclerosis. This suggestion is strongly supported by several clinical studies which indicate that vitamin D3 at doses higher than those currently used for the treatment of bone diseases, may be highly beneficial for the treatment of the dysfunctional cardiovascular system.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Vitamin D supplements could ease irritable bowel syndrome

Vitamin D supplements could ease painful Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS symptoms. Scientists from the University's Department of Oncology and Metabolism reviewed and integrated all available research on vitamin D and IBS. The study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in IBS patients. They also assessed the possible benefits of vitamin D supplements on IBS symptoms. Their findings suggested supplements may help to ease symptoms which can include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. Vitamin D was shown to have the most benefit on quality of life in IBS.

People with IBS should have their vitamin D levels tested and a large majority of them would benefit from supplements. IBS is a poor condition which impacts severely on the quality of life of sufferers. There is no single known cause and no cure. IBS is a debilitating functional disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Little is known about why and how the condition develops, although it is known that diet and stress can make symptoms worse.

Vitamin D is essential for general wellbeing, including bone health, immune function, mental health as well as gut health. Vitamin D inadequacy can be remedied relatively easily with supplements if diagnosed. Low vitamin D status has already been associated with the risk of colorectal cancer and has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease.
            haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Winter work out is better than summer sweat

According to personal trainers and exercise physiologists, the body's primary goal is to maintain stasis, or stability, and that includes keeping a steady temperature. In the cold, the body needs to burn extra fat, to produce energy to heat it back up to the ideal temperature.

Working out in the cold weather can shake off some extra calories. During the winter, the body ramps up its production of a chemical called ATLPL, which helps it to store up fat for the evolutionary scarce season, so staying active in the winter is important to counteracting that.

Working out in the cold makes it difficult for the body to stay warm and burn a ton of calories, the cold acts as a 'thermal stressor,' forcing the body's temperature regulation out of work. To keep the core, vital organs at the right temperature, blood flow to the extremities is reduced, and kept concentrated closer to the heart and internal organs.

The heart rate and metabolism slow, trying to save up energy and keep the warm blood in place. That's when the shivering starts. Those shakes are a series of fast muscle contractions and releases, a way for the body to produce some extra warmth by burning energy stored in fat.

When you get into a relatively consistent, high intensity workout - though you'll feel like you're working harder at first, against your slower heart rate and metabolism - the body begins warming up from more robust fat burning. As your heart rate rises, blood and warmth return to your hands, feet and other extremities, and shivering is no longer necessary.

Once you hit that point, you're burning calories as you would during exercise at any temperature. During the winter, the body crave extra simple carbohydrates found in sugary foods like baked goods and get vitamin D deficient spending too much time indoors. Getting some winter sun will boost your vitamin D to break those sweet indulgences.

Walking in moderately warm clothing on a cold day will keep the heart rate from getting high enough to cancel out the shivers, but enough activity is require for burning some fat for energy. Body temperature will be  lower when you are closer to the cold while playing in the snow, making the body ready to fight to stay warm.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

How weather increases the risk of cancer

Living in a cold climate could make people more likely to get cancer, people are at greater risk in colder countries because of their genes. The same genes which stop human cells from dying in freezing temperatures are also linked to breast and bowel cancer and leukaemia. A researcher says the genes contributing to cooler climates are the same which increase the risk of malignant tumours forming in the body.

Genetic variants found to be beneficial in extreme environments, can also predispose for cancer. Cell resistance at low temperatures and at high altitude probably increases the probability for malignancy.’Previous research from 2010 found grim weather in northern parts of the world may make men more vulnerable to prostate cancer, perhaps due to a lack of vitamin D from the sun.

However the new study - which compared international rates of cancer with 240 genetic studies of cancer and seven others in cold and high-altitude countries - suggests where people live affects their genes.Extreme cold weather can cause human cells to die, so that people in freezing countries have genetic mutations to prevent cell death and repair DNA.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Vitamin D boosts fertility

Women undergoing fertility treatment were 33 per cent more likely to have a baby if their vitamin D levels were healthy. NHS recommends taking of vitamin D supplement for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive for the sake of the development of their baby.

The researchers believe vitamin D may help dampen the immune system’s inflammatory response, improving the chances that an embryo successfully implants in the lining of the womb at the very start of pregnancy. Sun exposure and greater sunlight luminosity increases the body’s store of vitamin D, thereby yielding higher conception rates in summer and autumn.

Oily fish such as sardines or mackerel, red meat, liver or eggs are all rich in vitamin D.The vitamin is important during pregnancy because it affect the way a baby’s bones grow in the womb.
women should beware taking very high doses of vitamin D in a bid to conceive - as it is possible to overdose.

The NHS recommended dose of 10 micrograms a day is considered to be safe. Women should beware that taking more than this without medical advice can lead to too much calcium building up in the body, which can weaken bones and damage the heart and kidneys.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Vitamin D enhances healing of burns

Patients with severe burns who have higher levels of vitamin D recover more successfully than those with lower levels. Despite improvements in burn care many patients are still at risk of poor recovery. Complications can range from delayed wound healing through to infections. Patients with severe burns are at high risk of infection that may lead to life-threatening sepsis.

Vitamin D is known to have antibacterial actions that may combat infection and therefore aid in wound healing of burn patients. In order to investigate the role of vitamin D in recovery from burn injuries, researchers assessed the recovery progress, over one year, in patients with severe burns and correlated this with their vitamin D levels.

The study found that patients with higher levels of vitamin D had a better prognosis, with improved wound healing, fewer complications and less scarring. The data also showed that burns patients tend to have lower levels of vitamin D. These data suggest that vitamin D supplementation immediately following burn injury may have potent health benefits to the patient, including enhanced antimicrobial activity to prevent infection, and improved wound healing.

Major burn injury severely reduces vitamin D levels and adding this vitamin back may be a simple, safe and cost-effective way to improve outcomes for burns patients. The effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation to improve outcomes in burn patients would need to be verified in clinical trials.

Low vitamin D levels were associated with worse outcomes in burn patients including life threatening infections, mortality and delayed wound healing . It was also associated with worse scarring but vitamin D levels can improve the healing process.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Vitamin D prevents asthma attack

Taking oral vitamin D supplements in addition to standard asthma medication could reduce the risk of asthma attacks requiring hospital attendance.
Asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide and is estimated to cause almost 400,000 deaths annually.

Asthma deaths arise primarily during episodes of acute worsening of symptoms, known as attacks which are commonly triggered by viral upper respiratory infections. Vitamin D is thought to protect against such attacks by boosting immune responses to respiratory viruses and dampening down harmful airway inflammation.

Researchers analysed data from many participants in seven randomised controlled trials, which tested the use of vitamin D supplements. They discovered that vitamin D supplementation resulted in:
a 30 per cent reduction in the rate of asthma attacks requiring treatment with steroid tablets or injections - from 0.43 events per person per year to 0.30.
a 50 per cent reduction in the risk of experiencing at least one asthma attack.

Vitamin D supplementation was found to be safe at the doses administered. No instances of excessively high calcium levels or renal stones were seen, and serious adverse events were evenly distributed between participants taking vitamin D and those on placebo.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Overdose of vitamin D supplement increases the risk of cancer and kidney stones

Vitamin D is essential for bone metabolism, it maintains proper concentrations of calcium and phosphate in the blood.

Overdose of vitamin D can be harmful because  it can cause too much absorption of calcium. Excess calcium
in the blood can be deposited in the heart and kidneys which is dangerous to health.

Vitamin D helps the body to use calcium to support bone health, 600 IU is recommended for an adults per day. Apart from supplement it can be found in beef, liver, canned salmon, sardines, cheese, egg yolks, fortified milk orange juice and sunlight

Vitamin D is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight. The overdose can cause excess calcium in the blood, which can cause fractures, lethargy, high blood pressure, heart problems, hardening of the arteries, kidney stones and some cancers.

        haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Diet rich in vitamin D prevents early menopause

Women can reduce their risk of an early menopause by eating oily fish and eggs, regular intake of foods rich n vitamin D lowers early menopause by 17 percent.

Calcium-rich foods make women 13 percent less likely to suffer early menopause, some women experience menopause before age 45, this increases  their risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, and reducing their chances of conceiving.

There is really good laboratory evidence that vitamin D increases the production of hormones which slow down ovarian ageing and slow down the rate at which a woman loses her eggs.

 This is important because menopause comes when a woman has no eggs left.
Calcium could also influence ovarian ageing, because it is present with hormones in cows' milk like progesterone, which may also reduce risk of early menopause.

Magnesium may prevent bone fractures

Low intake of magnesium in the body may cause bone fractures, bone fractures are one of the causes of disability among adults, it is preventable by eating foods rich in magnesium.

Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong bone, magnesium is also good to maintain healthy bone, lack of magnesium in a diet prevent calcium and vitamin D homoeostasis in bones.

Researchers examined 2,245 adults and monitored them for 20 years, it was discovered that adults with low level of serum magnesium had higher risk of bone fractures especially hip fracture.

Adults with high levels of magnesium were 44 percent less likely to have bone fractures, foods rich in magnesium are: nuts, seeds, dried fruits, dark chocolate, yogurt, fish, beans, avocado and whole grain.