Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps regulate calcium and phosphorus in the body. It also plays a role in maintaining proper bone structure. There are different forms of vitamin D, including ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs, and fortified milk. It's also made in the skin when exposed to sunlight. During periods of sunlight, vitamin D is stored in fat and then released when sunlight is not available. Vitamin D supplements are commonly used to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency. People who don't get enough sun and people who are 65 years or older are at risk for deficiency. People also use vitamin D for weak and brittle bones, heart disease, asthma, hay fever, and many other conditions, but there's no good scientific evidence to support many of these uses. There is also no strong evidence to support using vitamin D supplements for COVID-19. But it is important to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D. This can be done by taking 400-1000 IU of vitamin D daily or spending 15-30 minutes in the sun each day.
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Comprehensive Database Professional Version. Generally, research on the role vitamin D may play in disease prevention and management is murky. Particularly with regard to the benefits of taking supplements, most of the studies have been observational or done on small groups (or both). Until recent years, there has been a lack of large randomized, controlled trials, which are the gold standard for medical research because such studies point to cause-and-effect relationships between factors. The data now coming in from such trials fails to back up previous claims about the benefits of vitamin D supplementation. But one thing is for sure: The scientific community’s interest in vitamin D clearly isn’t waning. Here’s what some of the latest research suggests about how the vitamin may affect certain chronic conditions. Bone Health As mentioned, vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium in the gut. So it’s no surprise that vitamin D supplements have long been recommended for preserving bone health. However, recent research has found that they don’t live up to the hype. A review of more than 81 clinical trials published in November 2018 in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology found that vitamin D supplements don’t prevent fractures or falls, or affect bone mineral density to a degree that is clinically meaningful. (15) Type 2 Diabetes Observational studies have associated low vitamin D levels with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Yet the aforementioned randomized, controlled trial published in August 2019 in
The New England Journal of Medicine concluded that supplements won’t lower that risk. A dose of 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day did not result in a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with a placebo. (2) Cardiovascular Disease Taking vitamin D supplements does not reduce the risk ofheart attack, stroke, or death from heart disease, according to the findings of a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving more than 25,000 participants that was published in the aforementioned January 2019 in The New England Journal of Medicine. (1) Cancer In the same study, researchers found that vitamin D supplementation was not found to reduce the risk of cancer in participants overall. However, those who had developed cancer and were taking vitamin D were less likely to die early than those who took a placebo. Researchers also found a possible reduction in cancer risk for African Americans, and they called for further study to confirm those results. (1) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) A small observational study of 44 people with RA and 25 controls found that vitamin D deficiency appeared to be more prevalent among people with RA, suggesting these people may benefit from taking a supplement. (16) But a separate small randomized, controlled trial found that while a vitamin D supplement helped people with RA build stronger bones than the control group, the supplements didn’t result in other expected health improvements. (17) Mood Disorders Vitamin D is an established therapy for seasonal depression, also called seasonal affective disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. (18) But more research is needed to determine whether a vitamin D supplement may benefit people with clinical depression, according to a review and meta-analysis published in April 2014 in Nutrients. (19) Memory and Cognitive Function Observational research suggests vitamin D deficiency is associated with cognitive impairment among older adults, but randomized, controlled research is needed to determine whether the vitamin plays a role in dementia risk and progression, according to a review published online in July 2016 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. (20) A large cohort study published online in October 2017 in Scientific Reports that studied participants’ genetics found no causal relationship between vitamin D levels and cognitive performance in mid- to late life. (21) Thyroid Disease The connection between vitamin D and people with hypothyroidism seems clearer, though larger-scale research is necessary. A small randomized, controlled trial found that the more severe a participant’s hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), the more severe their vitamin D deficiency. (12) “That encourages the advisability of [vitamin] D supplementation and recommends the screening for vitamin D deficiency and serum calcium levels for all hypothyroid patients,” the authors write. |
Daily dose of vitamin d for women
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