Vitamin D News and Research

Latest Vitamin D News and Research

Vitamin D may modify damaging effects of smoking on lung function

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with worse lung function and more rapid decline in lung function over time in smokers, suggesting that vitamin D may have a protective effect against the effects of smoking on lung function, according to a new study from researchers in Boston.

20 Jul 2012

High vitamin E intake associated with reduced risk of liver cancer

High consumption of vitamin E either from diet or vitamin supplements may lower the risk of liver cancer, according to a study published July 17 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

19 Jul 2012

Combination of obesity and vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of diabetes

The combination of obesity and vitamin D deficiency may put people at even greater risk of insulin resistance than either factor alone, according to new research from the Drexel University School of Public Health recently published early online in the journal Diabetes Care.

18 Jul 2012

Hepatitis C treatment may be helped by vitamin B12 supplements

Adding vitamin B12 to standard hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment significantly boosts the body’s ability to keep the virus at bay, indicates a pilot study published online in the journal Gut.

18 Jul 2012

Healthier levels of vitamin C can reduce inflammatory conditions

The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of vitamin C is less than half what it should be, scientists argue in a recent report, because medical experts insist on evaluating this natural, but critical nutrient in the same way they do pharmaceutical drugs and reach faulty conclusions as a result.

17 Jul 2012

Why is the incidence of gout increasing?

Gout has been described by the Daily Mail as something, “usually associated with port-swilling, over-fed elderly men of the 19th century”. (1) Recent research carried out at the Boston University School of Medicine, however, has found that the incidence of gout in the US is on the rise. (2) Thus, the condition is clearly not something that only affects this stereotype.

17 Jul 2012

Positive results from Alnylam’s ALN-TTR02 Phase I trial on TTR-mediated amyloidosis

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today the achievement of positive clinical results from its Phase I trial with ALN-TTR02, an RNAi therapeutic targeting the transthyretin (TTR) gene for the treatment of TTR-mediated amyloidosis.

16 Jul 2012

Abbott to showcase new informatics and lab solutions at AACC annual meeting

Abbott will feature new solutions to improve data management and automation at this year's American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) annual meeting, July 15-19, in Los Angeles, Calif. Solutions to further enhance efficiency and workflow in today's laboratories will be the focal point of the Abbott exhibit.

16 Jul 2012

Vitamin D deficiency may impair lung function in asthmatic children treated with budesonide

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with poorer lung function in asthmatic children treated with inhaled corticosteroids, according to a new study from researchers in Boston.

14 Jul 2012

Incident HF an ‘extreme high-risk’ condition

Patients have a markedly increased risk for stroke and death in the month following a new heart failure diagnosis, say researchers.

13 Jul 2012

SLU professor to study how antithrombin might prevent premature death from heart disease

Alireza "Ray" Rezaie, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, has received a $1.52 million NIH grant to study how the key blood clotting inhibitor antithrombin might be exploited to prevent premature death from heart disease.

12 Jul 2012

Anemia prevention in pregnancy works just as well with fewer iron supplements

Taking iron supplements one to three times a week instead of every day is just as effective at preventing anaemia in pregnant women, according to the findings of a new Cochrane systematic review. The authors of the review also showed that women experienced fewer side effects when taking iron supplements intermittently rather than daily.

11 Jul 2012

Mechanical treatment shows promise in thalassemia

Vibration therapy may be an effective nonpharmacologic intervention to increase bone mass in patients with thalassemia, US researchers report

10 Jul 2012

High-dose vitamin D recommended for over 65s

Meta-analysis findings support recommendations from the Institute of Medicine that people aged 65 years and older should routinely receive 800 IU of vitamin D per day.

10 Jul 2012

Overproduction of hepcidin appears to impair maternal-fetal iron transfer

A growing number of studies imply that children born to obese mothers face health problems stemming from the womb.

10 Jul 2012

Does alcohol kill brain cells?

Several origins have been suggested for the idea that alcohol kills brain cells. Some link it to the temperance movement, which called for prohibition of alcohol.

9 Jul 2012

$Higher doses of Vitamin D may be most beneficial in reducing bone fractures in older adults$

Higher doses of Vitamin D may be most beneficial in reducing bone fractures in older adults

Based on the results of a pooled analysis of 11 unrelated randomized clinical trials investigating vitamin D supplementation and fracture risk in more than 31,000 older adults, Bess Dawson-Hughes, MD, director of the Bone Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University, says higher doses of Vitamin D may be the most beneficial in reducing bone fractures in this age group.

6 Jul 2012

Medunik Canada signs exclusive distribution agreement with Orphan Europe

Medunik Canada, is an orphan drug company dedicated to helping Canadians with rare diseases access therapies currently unavailable in Canada. Medunik Canada is proud to announce that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Orphan Europe Recordati Group.

5 Jul 2012

Raising vitamin D concentrations reduces risk of HAIs among hospital patients

A paper recently published in Dermato-Endocrinology indicates that raising vitamin D concentrations among hospital patients has the potential to greatly reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections.

4 Jul 2012

Study shows higher levels of phenolic compounds in organic tomatoes

Study conducted at the University of Barcelona shows that organic tomatoes contain higher levels of phenolic compounds than conventional tomatoes. Phenolic compounds are organic molecules found in many vegetables with proven human health benefits.

4 Jul 2012