Hormonal
Vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases including osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, and supplementation can improve clinical outcomes in these conditions.
Check your Vitamin D status if you have chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or autoimmune issues, or if you are elderly. Current guidelines may not be enough to reach optimal levels for disease prevention. Supplementation can help reduce blood pressure, improve glucose control, and alleviate symptoms in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Aim for serum 25(OH)D levels above 50 nmol/L, potentially requiring higher doses than standard recommendations.
Moreover, vitamin D insufficiency can lead to a disturbed muscle function. Epidemiological data also indicate a low vitamin D status in tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, hypertension, and specific types of cancer. Some intervention trials have demonstrated that supplementation with vitamin D or its metabolites is able: (i) to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients; (ii) to improve blood glucose levels in diabetics; (iii) to improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Why this rating
The paper is a comprehensive review citing numerous epidemiological studies and intervention trials, though it notes inconsistent results for bone mineral density in some trials.
Source
Vitamin D in preventive medicine: are we ignoring the evidence?
Armin Zittermann · British Journal Of Nutrition · 2003
DOI 10.1079/bjn2003837
More from this paper
- Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is the superior biomarker for assessing Vitamin D status compared to calcitriol, as it reflects both sun exposure and dietary intake and correlates better with physiological outcomes like calcium absorption.Strong
- Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent in European populations, particularly in winter and among the elderly, with levels often falling below the threshold for optimal bone and muscle health.Good
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