Vitamin D News and Research

Latest Vitamin D News and Research

Sun exposure may have an anti-melanoma effect

Italian researchers have found a link between vitamin D and the risk of developing a melanoma and they say that individuals with certain variants in a vitamin D-related gene, called BsmI, may be at an increased risk of developing melanoma.

22 Sep 2008

Vitamin may protect the ageing brain from memory loss

Scientists in Britain are suggesting that a vitamin found in meat, fish and milk, may offer protection against memory loss in older people.

9 Sep 2008

Oxidative stress: mechanism of cell death clarified

Dr. Marcus Conrad of the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen has decrypted the molecular mechanism through which the death of cells is caused by oxidative stress.

3 Sep 2008

Vitamin B deficiency may cause vascular cognitive impairment

A deficiency of B-vitamins may cause vascular cognitive impairment, according to a new study. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University used an experimental model to examine the metabolic, cognitive, and microvascular effects of dietary B-vitamin deficiency.

2 Sep 2008

Exclusive breastfeeding increases child's risk for vitamin D deficiency; black, darker-skinned children already have increased risk

Exclusive breastfeeding can increase a child's risk of developing rickets because breast milk alone does not provide adequate levels of vitamin D, a critical ingredient that helps to absorb calcium and build strong bones, the New York Times reports. Rickets develops when a child's vitamin D levels are too low and is characterized by the curving of a child's legs and the softening of other bones. Some children are asymptomatic.

28 Aug 2008

Role of vitamin D in kidney disease examined

Vitamin D is the key to preventing rickets and osteoporosis, but Rockefeller University scientists suspect it may also play a role in heading off atherosclerosis in people with chronic kidney disease.

26 Aug 2008

U.S. spinach and lettuce to be irradiated to stop outbreaks of foodborne bacteria

Following an increasing number of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses over the last few years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States is about to allow food producers to irradiate spinach and iceberg lettuce to kill foodborne bacteria.

25 Aug 2008

Vitamin B supplements offer no protection from heart disease

According to recent research vitamin B or folic acid supplements do not prevent death in patients with heart disease.

20 Aug 2008

The effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health

Dairy is recognized as a key component of a healthy, balanced diet. However, until recently it was unclear how long-term dairy intake contributes to the many aspects of bone health in children, including bone density, bone mineral content, and bone area. A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics investigates the effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health.

13 Aug 2008

In-depth review of current research on the health effects of vitamin D

Despite considerable progress in research to understand the health effects of vitamin D, experts convened by the NIH to review the available data found major gaps in the evidence. The data are strongest in the area of bone health among elderly men and post-menopausal women, suggesting that increased vitamin D intake can improve bone health and prevent falls. For other age groups and health issues, though, it is too early to say conclusively whether more vitamin D might be beneficial.

12 Aug 2008

Chronic pain among women may be down to low levels of vitamin D

According to new research published ahead of print, low vitamin D levels may contribute to chronic pain in women.

12 Aug 2008

Low vitamin D levels substantially increase risk of death

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.

11 Aug 2008

600,000 Australians afflicted with osteoporosis

According to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Osteoporosis Australia, more than 600,000 Australians are affected by osteoporosis.

5 Aug 2008

High dose shot of vitamin C halts the spread of cancer

According to scientists in the U.S., a high dose of vitamin C given in the form of an injection may halt the spread of cancers.

4 Aug 2008

Vitamin C injections slow tumor growth in mice

High-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report in the August 5, 2008, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

4 Aug 2008

Researchers examine link between prenatal vitamin D levels and schizophrenia

Researchers from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute are set to conduct a world-first trial into the link between prenatal vitamin D levels and schizophrenia prevalence.

3 Aug 2008

ISU researchers find possible alternative adjuvant for alum to boost the effectiveness of vaccines

On the rocky road of cancer research, Indiana State University scientists have made important discoveries.

29 Jul 2008

Knowing means simplifying: gluten-free diet alone is enough to cure the bones of pediatric patients with celiac disease

Individuals affected by celiac disease (gluten intolerance) often present an altered calcium (Ca2+) metabolism that can cause osteopenia, a bone mass decrease due to the impaired adsorption of this mineral, which can lead to osteoporosis (in 35-85% of the cases).

27 Jul 2008

Researchers find key mechanism of cell damage in aging and disease

Researchers have taken a first snapshot of how a class of highly reactive molecules inflicts cellular damage as part of aging, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and Alzheimer's disease to name a few. According to a study published today in the journal Cell, researchers have discovered a tool that can monitor related damage and determine the degree to which antioxidant drugs effectively combat disease.

24 Jul 2008

Is staying out of the sun causing us more harm than good?

We are continuously bombarded with messages about the dangers of too much sun and the increased risk of melanoma (the less common and deadliest form of skin cancer), but are these dangers real, or is staying out of the sun causing us more harm than good?

22 Jul 2008