Vitamin D News and Research

Latest Vitamin D News and Research

Low levels of vitamin D appear common in healthy children

Many healthy infants and toddlers may have low levels of vitamin D, and about one-third of those appear to have some evidence of reduced bone mineral content on X-rays, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

2 Jun 2008

First study to examine vitamin D insufficiency in pediatric patients with low bone density

Vitamin D insufficiency is common in adults and is emerging in the world of pediatrics. A mild degree of vitamin D deficiency, also known as vitamin D insufficiency, causes rickets in children and can be treated with increased amount of nutritional vitamin D intake as well as increased sun exposure.

2 Jun 2008

Potential hypophosphatasia therapy discovered

Researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, led by José Luis Millán, Ph.D., have demonstrated in mice the first successful use of enzyme replacement therapy to prevent hypophosphatasia (HPP), a primary skeletal disease of genetic origin. This discovery lays the foundation for future clinical trials for HPP patients.

1 Jun 2008

Why some treatments rescue aging skin

Fine wrinkles, deeper creases, saggy areas around the mouth and neck - the sights in the mirror that make baby boomers wince - are not inevitable. They result from a structural breakdown inside the skin that some existing treatments effectively counteract by stimulating the growth of new, youthful collagen, University of Michigan scientists say.

28 May 2008

Sea buckthorn berries may ward off liver disease

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in anti-oxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research due to be published in the Society of Chemical Industry's (SCI) Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

25 May 2008

HIV patients suffer more from osteoporosis

Following the introduction of HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), the survival and quality of life for people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) have increased in the resource-rich countries. However, with this improved prognosis an increase in long term negative disorders has been observed, namely osteoporosis (the gradual loss of bone mass).

25 May 2008

Trends of vitamin B6 status in US population sample identified in study

In an epidemiological study, Tufts University researchers identified trends of vitamin B6 status in a sample of the United States population based on measures of plasma pyridoxal 5'- phosphate (PLP) levels in the bloodstream. Plasma PLP is the indicator used by the federal government to set the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B6, a nutrient essential for red blood cell function and important for maintaining a healthy immune system and blood glucose levels.

20 May 2008

Drug therapy for phenylketonuria reverses heart damage

A pricy drug used to treat a rare but well-known genetic disorder may hold wider promise as a treatment for millions of Americans with potentially lethal enlarged hearts, due mainly to high blood pressure, a study from Johns Hopkins shows.

13 May 2008

Vitamin D protects cells from stress that can lead to cancer

By inducing a specific gene to increase expression of a key enzyme, vitamin D protects healthy prostate cells from the damage and injuries that can lead to cancer, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers report.

13 May 2008

Holiday 'binge tanning' increasing skin cancer risk for young brits

A new survey, released today by Cancer Research UK to raise awareness of its annual SunSmart campaign, has identified a worrying trend for 'binge tanning' among young people heading off on holiday this summer.

8 May 2008

Vitamin D linked to reduced mortality rate in chronic kidney disease

For patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease (CKD), treatment with activated vitamin D may reduce the risk of death by approximately one-fourth, suggests a study in the August Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

7 May 2008

Folic acid, B vitamins not linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular events in high-risk women

Women at high-risk of cardiovascular disease who took a daily supplement of folic acid and vitamin B6 and B12 for seven years did not have an overall reduced rate of cardiovascular events, despite a significant lowering of homocysteine levels, according to a study in the May 7 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

6 May 2008

Depression in seniors linked to low levels of vitamin D

Researchers in Holland have found that older people with low blood levels of vitamin D and high blood levels of the parathyroid hormone are more likely to be depressed.

6 May 2008

Low blood levels of vitamin D may be associated with depression in seniors

Older adults with low blood levels of vitamin D and high blood levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands may have a higher risk of depression, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

5 May 2008

New findings on vitamin E and cataracts in women

A new analysis of the Women's Health Study (WHS) found that women who took Vitamin E supplements had rates of cataract development comparable to women who did not take such supplements.

1 May 2008

Alzheimer's and diabetes link

Diabetic individuals have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease but the molecular connection between the two remains unexplained. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies identified the probable molecular basis for the diabetes - Alzheimer's interaction.

30 Apr 2008