low levels of vitamin D

Research has found that men with low levels of vitamin D in the blood (15 ng/mL and lower) were at increased risk for heart attack compared to those with sufficient levels (30 ng/mL and higher) even after adjusting for other risk factors and physical activity. This may contribute to the higher rate of cardiovascular mortality among black Americans compared to white Americans, as blacks tend to have lower vitamin D levels. More recently, an analysis of two large studies showed that men who consumed 600 IU or more per day of vitamin D from foods and supplements were 16% less likely to have cardiovascular disease and stroke over a period of approximately 20 years compared to men consuming less than 100 IU per day. The same association was not seen among women; the reason for this is unclear but one possible explanation given is that women may need higher intake of vitamin D because they tend to have a higher percentage of body fat than men and vitamin D is fat soluble. In addition, vitamin D intake during the study period, which ended in 2006, may have been too low to produce meaningful differences. A large trial giving 2,000 IU per day as a supplement is underway and may yield additional insights (principal investigator is J.E. Manson).

[ed34]

Thank you for that, very interesting. I think we also synthesise this vitamin from sunlight? Almost makes me feel like I'm a plant.

[erijon]

Actually, 95% of the vitamin D in our system comes from sunlight, very little comes from what we eat. The only food we really get any vitamin D from is fish and foods that have it added.

[gymdandee]

You only need 15 minutes per day in the sun to get your D. Of course winter time it's a little hard to do

[kenkeith]

Some places where Eskimos live have  limited exposure of U.V light for a long period of time but dont suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. Are they genetically different, is their brief exposture to sunlight enable storage of sufficient Vit D, is the fish diet sufficient?  

[ed34]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,840985,00.html

[gymdandee]

The problem is people are told to use sunscreen, and they should but only after the 15 min.
in the sun.

[kenkeith]

There are other bits of confirmatory evidence: the only relatively dark-skinned people in high latitudes are the Eskimos, who get all the vitamin D they need from fish-liver oils.

The black races (Negro, Bushman-Hottentot and Australoid), with a more abundant supply of melanin, are in effect, perpetually tanned. Members of the white race are transparent-skinned in winter, when they must make the most of the limited ultraviolet avail able to synthesize vitamin D, but they take a tan in summer, when they might suffer from an excess.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,840985,00.html#ixzz1Q6pmpSD4

It appears it is melanin sensitive for need of vitamin D.  What would be result of light skinned indivduals locked away in prison for years and any sunlight...do they have undiagnosed rickets?  Is vitamin D for bone growth only relevant for children?  

[ed34]

I think in children it's called Rickets and in adults it's called osteomalacia

[soscared872]

I was wondering if the low vitamin D level was part of my reason for my hypertensive heart disease? I was diagnosed with both! I have been taking 5,000 IU per day for four months. Yesterday the doc told me from my echo three months ago my heart diagnosis. Comments?

[curmudgen]

While it is true that experimental and clinical evidence suggests a link between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease, it is unclear how many of the reported associations are causal.  The effects of vitamin D deficiency on the cardiovascular system do not appear suddenly and supplements after the fact have not been shown to reverse disease.  Well designed prospective randomized controlled trials are necessary to further investigate the appropriate role of vitamin D supplementation for cardiovascular risk reduction. In the northern latitudes from October to May there is insufficient sunlight to ensure adequate levels of naturally produced vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in foods both naturally and supplemented.  Please educate yourselves before running out to the health food store.

[gymdandee]

curmudgen LOL :>) on your user name!
Plenty of people are low on D3 and they should first have a blood test to determine if D is needed.

[soscared872]

I was prescribed the 5,000 IU per day. Sorry I did not infer it. I am under doctor supervision and had a blood test yesterday to check the level. I was not wondering if getting normal D levels could reverse my Diasolic dysfunction. And I have not found anything on the web yet to suggest that any diet or lifestyle change could reverse DD. Thanks.