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PREVENT CANCER AND HEART ATTACKS WITH ONE TABLET |
Jan 10, 2008
Category: Health Information |
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A message from Canada's leading manufacturer of natural health products
A recent study published in the American Heart Association’s Journal, Circulation on Jan. 8th, 2008, suggests that higher circulating vitamin D levels may prevent cardiovascular disease and related cardiovascular events. The study followed more than 1700 individuals for over 5 years looking at how many got cardiovascular disease and what their serum vitamin D levels were. Basically, the researchers measured baseline circulating vitamin D, divided them into low and high groups, and and followed them for an average of 5.4 years looking at how many of them developed cardiovascular disease (e.g. heart attack, angina, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, claudication and heart failure). After controlling for a set of variables that are important predictors of cardiovascular disease (i.e., age, sex, systolic blood pressure, medications, diabetes, serum creatinine levels, HDL:total cholesterol ratio, body mass index, and smoking status) they found that those in the low vitamin D group had a 60% increased risk of getting some cardiovascular event. And when they looked at those with high blood pressure only, dividing them into high and low vitamin D groups, they found more than a 200% increased risk in cardiovascular disease events in the low vitamin D group, and for the very low group, over 250% increased risk.
This study expands upon other research that has found that those with a lower intake of vitamin D have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This research is particularly important for certain populations at risk for vitamin D deficiency such as: the elderly, those that live above 40o north or below 40o south, those with dark skin or who cover their bodies, those with fat malabsorption syndromes (e.g. cystic fibrosis), those with inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. Crohn’s disease), and obese individuals. In particular, most of Canada and a large portion of the northern United States, and many other parts of the world, do not get adequate ultraviolet B light (UVB) exposure, which creates vitamin D in our skin. Specifically, from November to March, many individuals do not get adequate skin vitamin D creation. It is suggested that individuals living at these latitudes get 5-10 minutes of sun exposure on the arms and legs or face and arms 3 times weekly between 11:00am and 2:00 pm during the spring, summer and fall to create adequate vitamin D and allow storage during the winter. This amount of sunlight does not cause any significant level of skin damage. Additionally, any individuals at risk of vitamin D deficiency or those at the latitudes described above should take 400-1000IU of vitamin D every day. In addition to preventing a deficiency it appears that this increased vitamin D may prevent cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers.
Author: Dr. Joel J. Gagnier BA, ND, MSc, PhD, Senior Science Officer, Jamieson Laboratories
Source: Wang, TJ, Pencina MJ, Booth SL et al. Vitamin D deficiency and risk of cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2008;117.
Click here to view study abstract. |
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