Health & Medicine - Posted by William Raillant-Clark-McGill on Monday, March 29, 2010 12:57 - 9 Comments 
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(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Low vitamin D linked to fat buildup
“Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases. Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body,” explains Richard Kremer. “Abnormal levels of Vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders.” (Courtesy: iStockphoto)
MCGILL (CAN)—Vitamin D is not only good for your bones. New research shows it may help keep muscles free of fat.
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The text of this article by Futurity is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License.
“The lower the levels of Vitamin D, the more fat in subjects’ muscles,” says Richard Kremer, professor of medicine at McGill University.
Kremer and Vicente Gilsanz, professor of radiology and pediatrics at the University of Southern California, conducted a study and found an astonishing 59 percent of subjects had serious Vitamin D deficiencies (less than 20 ng/ml or 50 nmol/L).
What makes the results especially surprising, Kremer says, is the fact that all the subjects were otherwise healthy young women living in California. Exposure to sunshine triggers the production of Vitamin D.
Details of the study are reported in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
The study is the first to show a clear link between Vitamin D levels and the accumulation of fat in muscle tissue, a factor in muscle strength and overall health.
“Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases. Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body,” explains Kremer. “Abnormal levels of Vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders.”
“We are not yet sure what is causing Vitamin D insufficiency in this group,” says Gilsanz. “High levels of Vitamin D could help reduce body fat. Or, fat tissues might absorb or retain Vitamin D, so that people with more fat are likely to also be Vitamin D deficient.”
While study results may inspire some people to start taking Vitamin D supplements, Kremer recommends caution.
“Obviously this subject requires more study,” he says. “We don’t yet know whether Vitamin D supplementation would actually result in less accumulation of fat in the muscles or increase muscle strength.
“We need more research before we can recommend interventions. We need to take things one step at a time.”
The study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S, Department of the Army, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Dimensional Fund Advisors Canada (a subsidiary of U.S.-based Dimensional Fund Advisors).
McGill University news: www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/
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9 Comments
jeff
It would be interesting to know more about the young women’s backgrounds in the study…being raised in southern california myself almost all of the young women I know here including two sisters have grown up on diets rich in vitamin D thru enriched lowfat milk/yogurt/cheese/cottage cheese/supplements and sunshine..just wondering who these women are who wind up lacking..
Art Donner
I wish that it was made clear that the study petains to Vitamin D3 deficiency. Vitamin D2 is found in fortified milk products and other fortified products. There is much consfusion over Vitamin D. In any event folks should request a 25 O-H blood test. Also Vitamin D3 is difficult to absorb and an emulsified form of Vitamin D3 is more readily absorbed.
Wats the indication for infant to give Vitamin D supplement and does it works any study to support it?
A cautionary tale, eat it don’t take it.
John
Foods are VERY POOR sources of vitamin d. A glass of milk for instance has only 60 IUs yet 20 minutes in the sun can produce up to 20,000.00 IUs! Most tanning salons can also produce this amount using their machines. The sun scare movement is made up of companies that sell sun screen. think about it.
tanning salons which are equipped with the latest equipment is the facility that i always visit .
*,. I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives useful information *.:
Combating the flu and keeping the colds away is probably the many uses of Vitamin D on your general well-being. What does vitamin D do for the our health? It can do steer clear of the oncoming of flu infection. A search said that there won’t be specific flu vaccines or anti-viral medications commonly prescribed for flu can match the effectiveness of vitamin D as a safety measure for preventing flu and colds.
Very interesting article, thank you. Grazia,