Health
Popular vitamin D supplement may have an unexpected effect, experts warn
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Vitamin D is known to be essential to many aspects of human health — but a new study suggests that taking a certain form of it can have a negative effect.
The more potent and longer-lasting form, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is produced naturally when the body is exposed to sunlight and is also found in animal products, while vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) comes from plant or fungal sources, per the National Institutes of Health.
Researchers from the University of Surrey in the U.K. found that taking vitamin D2 can cause reduced levels of vitamin D3 in the body.
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They made this determination by analyzing 11 randomized controlled trials including 655 adults, which showed that people taking vitamin D2 supplements had less vitamin D3 than those who did not take D2, according to a university press release.
The findings of the study — conducted along with the John Innes Centre and the Quadram Institute Bioscience in Norwich, England — were published in the journal Nutrition Reviews.
Vitamin D is known to be essential to human health — but a new study suggests that taking a certain form of it can have a negative effect. (iStock)
“Vitamin D supplements are important, especially between October and March, when our bodies cannot make vitamin D from sunlight in the U.K.,” lead researcher Emily Brown, a Ph.D. research fellow from the University of Surrey’s Nutrition, Exercise, Chronobiology & Sleep Discipline, stated in the press release.
“However, we discovered that vitamin D2 supplements can actually decrease levels of vitamin D3 in the body, which is a previously unknown effect of taking these supplements. This study suggests that, subject to personal considerations, vitamin D3 supplements may be more beneficial for most individuals over vitamin D2.”
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Previous research has suggested that the two forms of vitamin D are not interchangeable. A study published in Frontiers in Immunology, also conducted by the University of Surrey, found that vitamin D3 is more effective in boosting the immune system and protecting the body from viral and bacterial diseases, the release noted.
Some foods containing vitamin D3 include fatty fish, egg yolks, cod liver oil and fortified dairy and animal foods, health sources confirm. (iStock)
“We have shown that vitamin D3, but not vitamin D2, appears to stimulate the type I interferon signaling system in the body – a key part of the immune system that provides a first line of defense against bacteria and viruses,” stated Professor Colin Smith, who led the above study. “Thus, a healthy vitamin D3 status may help prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining a foothold in the body.”
Professor Martin Warren, chief scientific officer at the Quadram Institute, confirmed in the release that vitamin D deficiency is a “significant public health concern,” particularly during the winter months.
“This collaborative research effort aligns well with the Quadram Institute’s mission to deliver healthier lives through food innovation to enhance the nutrient density of the food we eat,” he said. “Tackling this with the most effective form of vitamin D supplementation or fortification is of the utmost importance to the health of the nation.”
More research is needed to determine whether vitamins D2 and D3 affect the body differently — and whether that could change doctors’ medical advice on which type to take, the researchers concluded. (iStock)
More research is needed to determine whether vitamins D2 and D3 affect the body differently — and whether that could change doctors’ medical advice on which type to take, the researchers concluded.
There were several limitations to the analysis, the study findings noted.
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For example, there were only a small number of studies with many differences among them, such as their duration, the amount and timing of doses, and how results were measured. There was also the potential for biases due to incomplete reporting of details.
The results could also be affected by factors such as the amount of sunlight exposure, as well as some people taking supplements and others eating vitamin-fortified foods, the researchers noted.
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Some foods containing vitamin D3 include fatty fish, egg yolks, cod liver oil and fortified dairy and animal foods, health sources confirm. Vitamin D2 can be found in mushrooms, fortified foods and some plant/fungal-based supplements.
The study was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
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Stat of the week
More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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