Vitamin D Benefits

Vitamin D News & Articles – April 18 Roundup

webchick — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:40:29 +0000

Find out the facts about vitamin D benefits, deficiency, research, and more with our regular roundup of vitamin d related news items, stories, and articles from around the web:

Vitamin D Linked With Lower Risk Of Deadly Prostate Cancer
Vitamin D does not protect men from getting prostate cancer, but it may lessen their chances of dying of it. In a new study, men with the highest levels of vitamin D in their blood were 57 percent less likely than men with the lowest levels to succumb to prostate cancer.

Dial Up The Vitamin D Without Risking Skin Cancer
You can soak up the shine safely — and get all its vitamin-D-making powers — without risking skin cancer. It’s OK to bask for up to 20 minutes a day without sunscreen. On a sunny day in July, 4 minutes of midday sun on the fairest skin produces 1,000 IUs of D; the darkest skin will need 11-15 minutes for the same D-light.

These Supplements Fight Prostate Cancer
Vitamin D and soy may have a protective effect against prostate cancer and a new study in the March 27, 2012 issue of the journal Prostate suggests that a combination of vitamin D in the active form 1,25(OH)(2)D can be enlisted to prevent or treat prostate cancer.

Vitamin D fails to boost teenage brainpower, city study reveals HIGH levels of vitamin D do not improve the brainpower of teenagers, according to a study of young people in Bristol. Previous research had suggested that higher levels of the vitamin enhanced the performance of the brain in adults so researchers in the city looked at the impact of different types of vitamin D on children. Their findings were based on more than 3,000 children involved in the Children of the 90s project, which has been tracking the long-term health of young people born in the early 90s.

Painkiller From the Sky? Sunshine Vitamin May Help Older People With Chronic Pain
If you have generalized muscle and bone pain, you will want to know what was uncovered by researchers at the Mayo Clinic: People with low vitamin D levels take nearly twice as much narcotic medication for pain as people whose vitamin D levels are normal. So far it’s just a correlation between the level of meds people require and their vitamin D levels, not a proven cause and effect.

Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen: Beat Alzheimers with disease-blocking vitamin D
It’s the “Prevent D” the New Orleans Saints might wish they’d had in place of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and head coach Sean Payton. D-3, we mean, the disease-blocking vitamin that keeps you healthy, maybe not wealthy, but definitely wise.

Vitamin D’s Brain Benefits May Not Emerge Until Adulthood
Higher serum vitamin D levels do not boost academic performance in childhood, according to new research from the United Kingdom. The null findings from the UK study are in line with 2 other studies using data from the Third US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), published in 2007 and 2011, which found no association between total serum 25-hydoxyvitamin D and childhood cognitive function.

Vitamin D May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk in Black Women
A new study published in the Breast Cancer Research Journal revealed that vitamin D could benefit Black women most when it comes to keeping breast cancer cells from growing. Scientists at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute looked at vitamin D levels in women without breast cancer and found that African-American women were almost six times more likely to have severe deficiencies than European-American women. A closer look later indicated that Black women who did have high levels of vitamin D had genetic variations in the vitamin D receptor that cut their breast cancer risk in half.

Vitamin D News & Articles – April 4 Roundup

webchick — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:02:52 +0000

NEW FEATURE! Find out the facts about vitamin D benefits, deficiency, research, and more with our regular roundup of vitamin d related news items, stories, and articles from around the web:

Vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink reduced inflammation, CV risk in type 2 diabetes
Patients with diabetes who consume a vitamin D-fortified Persian yogurt drink, known as “doogh,” may experience improved inflammatory markers and, therefore, a lower risk for heart disease, according to researchers from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran.

Can a Ray of Sunshine Help the Critically Ill?
Tel Aviv University researcher finds that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased mortality in intensive care patients.

Some Americans Not Getting Essential Nutrients – highest deficiencies found in vitamin D
CDC report says most Americans are getting enough vitamins, iron, and essential elements, but women and some racial and ethnic groups may be low in certain key nutrients.

Vitamin D: how do you know if you’re getting enough?
Rapid growth of medical testing for vitamin D levels in Australia prompts questions about whether the nation is over-concerned with getting enough of the sunshine vitamin

Confused About How Much Vitamin D You Need?
If so, you’re not alone – experts disagree on how much vitamin D is needed for maxiumum health benefits

Ongoing UK study examines how vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy impacts health of child in later life A clinical trial is taking place at the University of Southampton to see if Vitamin D supplements help the development of babies’ bones. The study examines if a lack of Vitamin D in pregnancy leads to babies developing conditions such as arthritis in later life.

Ballerinas needed for vitamin D health study
Researchers at New Zealand’s Massey University Albany campus are seeking 100 young ballerinas to take part in a study on vitamin D and its role in dancers’ health. The study will examine the impact on dancers’ growth and development of the pressure to be strong yet lean.

New study suggests vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of multiple sclerosis
A review study in Current Opinion in Neurology suggests vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) or taking therapeutic doses of vitamin D may help prevent or treat MS in some patients if not all.

Low Vitamin D Linked To Child/Adolescent Obesity

webchick — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:10:10 +0000

Can low levels of vitamin D increase your child’s risk of getting fat, staying fat, and developing diabetes? New studies suggest the answer may be yes.

A recent study by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas is the latest of many to show a strong link between vitamin d deficiency and obesity, insulin resistance, and increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes.

The study, which monitored levels of vitamin D, blood sugar, serum insulin, blood pressure, and dietary habits in a group of several hundred obese children, indicated that the children with the lowest levels of the vitamin were the most obese, had the highest levels of insulin resistance, and were therefore at the greatest risk of having prediabetes.

The study also linked poor dietary habits with low d vitamin levels and diabetes risk. Older children and teenagers in the study group had the lowest levels of the vitamin, due at least in part to skipping breakfast and drinking more soda, the researchers said.

These findings echo those of a 2011 Hasbro University study published in the Journal Of Adolescent Health that found most obese adolescents have insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels. That study also found that raising the levels of the vitamin in obese adolescents was challenging; a standard course of supplemental vitamin D brought only about 43 percent of the obese adolescents to sufficiency levels, and even repeated courses of supplemental vitamin D failed to bring a significant percentage of the subjects to sufficiency.

The incidence of childhood obesity has reached what many experts consider epidemic proportions. According to recent estimates, 18% of US children and adolescents are obese, more than tripling the rate of child/adolescent obesity over the past 40 years. And the epidemic of overweight children isn’t limited to the US; 2011 research by the University of Bristol estimated that childhood obesity is also a problem in the UK, effecting one out of five children there.

How great a role does the sunshine vitamin – or the lack thereof – play in childhood obesity? Experts say that while more research is needed to determine whether vitamin d deficiency is a side effect or a causal factor, the dangers of insufficient levels of the vitamin remain critical to overweight children.

Vitamin D deficiency, once associated primarily with the development of the bone-softening disease rickets, has long been linked to a whole host of serious health problems. In addition to bone and skeletal weakness, low levels of the vitamin are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, asthma, dental problems, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer.

The current recommended daily intake of vitamin D is set at 600 IU for children and adults up to 70 years of age, an amount that some experts question as being too low for the population in general and for overweight people in particular, since obesity is believed to interfere with the body’s utilization of the vitamin.

While exposure to sunlight triggers the body to manufacture the vitamin, limited sun exposure due to climate and lifestyle choices can lead to serious deficiency. Parents are urged to encourage their children to get reasonable sun exposure through outdoor play, and to make sure their children’s diet includes foods that have extra vitamin D added (including fortified milk, cereal, and other dairy products.)

Do Obese People Need More Vitamin D?

webchick — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:23:04 +0000

Is the currently recommended daily dosage of vitamin D enough for obese people? The jury is still out, but initial studies suggest that the answer may be no.

Long recognized for its role in maintaining strong bones, Vitamin D has also been shown to be crucial to a surprisingly diverse range of health issues, from mood management to cardiovascular health. Decades of studies and clinical trials have shown a strong correlation between deficiency of the sunshine vitamin and risk for allergies, asthma, diabetes and other metabolic problems, neurological disorders including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, migraine, periodontal disease, pregnancy and neo-natal problems, and more.

Questions about vitamin D supplementation levels have been raised by many studies in recent years, and in 2008 the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommendation for childhood intake of vitamin D to 400 IU per day, starting in the first few days of life. The IOM’s recommended intake for people over 70 has also been increased to 700 IU per day. However, a growing body of research indicates that high dose vitamin D has been shown to be of significant value to the treatment and management of a wide variety of conditions.

One of the newest areas of investigation is the possible association between low blood levels of vitamin D and obesity, particularly in adolescents. While experts caution that additional research is warranted, studies suggest there is indeed a powerful correlation between Vitamin D levels and obesity and that the current Recommended Daily Intake of 600 IU per day may not be enough for the clinically obese.

A retrospective study by Hasbro Childrens Hospital in Providence, RI monitored 68 obese adolescents. Blood screenings revealed that the overwhelming majority of the subjects – 100 percent of the girls and 91 percent of the boys – had either deficient or insufficient blood levels of the vitamin. Of the 43 the subjects who had a repeat measurement after a course of supplemental vitamin D (using the RDI of 600 International Units per day), only 28 percent showed normalization of serum vitamin D. The subjects whose serum levels of the vitamin did not normalize after the first course of treatment also failed to normalize after multiple courses of treatment.

The authors of the study said the subjects’ failure to normalize serum levels of the vitamin after repeated courses of supplementation is likely attributable to the fact that vitamin D may be sequestered in body fat, preventing it from being utilized inthe blood. The researchers questioned whether a significantly higher intake of the vitamin may be required as part of treatment of obese adolescents.

A 2011 University of Missouri study indicated that a daily dose of 4,000 IU of vitamin D, the maximum intake level set by the Institute of Medicine, is both safe and effective at improving vitamin D status in obese adolescents. The researchers noted that obese adolescents utilize vitamin D only about half as efficiently as lean adolescents, requiring about twice as much of the vitamin to achieve the same increase in serum levels.

Major Large Scale Study Confirms Link between Vitamin D Deficiency And Depression

webchick — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:12:32 +0000

A large long-term study recently published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings confirms that there is a definite link between vitamin D deficiency and depression.

The University of Texas Southwestern study, which monitored over 12,500 people for a period of four years, concluded that low vitamin D levels are definitely associated with increased risk of depressive disorder. The study, which is of the largest and most comprehensive studies ever conducted on the association between low vitamin D and depression, confirms the finding of many small studies conducted over the past decade.

The researchers monitored primary care patients at The Cooper Institute in Dallas. The subjects were divided into two groups based on whether or not they had a prior history of depression. Data from tests that measured both current vitamin D levels and the presence and intensity of depressive symptoms indicated that higher levels of the vitamin corresponded with lower incidence of depression, while those with the lowest levels of the vitamin were at greatest risk for depression.

The association between blood levels of Vitamin D and the incidence of depression were most significant among patients who had a prior history of depression. Among these patients, high blood levels of the vitamin reduced the odds of depressive symptoms by about 10 percent.

Which Came First – Depression or Deficiency?

The study authors said the exact nature of the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and depression remains unclear. Additional research is needed to determine whether deficiency leads to depression or depressive symptoms contribute to deficiency.

Previous research suggests that one of the roles Vitamin D plays in reducing the risk of depression is in its contribution to the healthy operation of neurotransmitters. In addition, maintaining adequate D vitamin levels is known to reduce the production of cytokines, proteins that increase inflammation. Previous research suggests that cytokines are a possible risk factor for depression.

Vitamin D Screening May Be Useful In Treatment Of Depressed Patients

The study results suggest that primary care patients who are currently depressed or have a history of depressive symptoms could benefit from screening for low blood levels of vitamin D.

Such screening is already commonly included in routine physical exams because low levels of the vitamin have been proven to be significant risk factors for a wide variety of medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis, and neurological conditions including multiple sclerosis. Low vitamin D levels are also recognized as a risk factor for age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Vitamin D: The Anti-Diabetes Vitamin?

webchick — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:00:09 +0000

Could vitamin D be the anti-diabetes vitamin, improving insulin resistance and sensitivity? According to a recent university study, it may be true.

If you’re concerned about diabetes, you’re certainly not alone. According to the National Institute of Health, more than 20 million Americans are currently affected by the condition, and more than 40 millions Americans have pre-diabetes, also known as early type 2 diabetes. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes involve either or both insufficient insulin production and resistance to the insulin produced; type 1 diabetes is an unpreventable congenital condition, whereas type 2 diabetes is usually developed as the result of a physically inactive lifestyle and/or being overweight. Diabetes causes many physical complications, and can lead to kidney, eye, and nervous system diseases, and is known to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

What gives vitamin D the potential to be the anti-diabetes vitamin? According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, taking vitamin D supplements may help improve improve insulin resistance and sensitivity. The study was conducted by researchers at Auckland, Australia’s Massey University, and found that increasing vitamin D levels in the blood of 42 insulin-resistant women dramatically improved their insulin sensitivity.

The controlled, double-blind study lasted six months, and involved 81 women, ranging in age from 23 – 68. 42 of the women were given 4000 IU of vitamin D daily, while 39 were given a placebo. While the vitamin D supplements didn’t result in increased insulin production, they did have the effect of making the women drastically more sensitive to the insulin they were already producing. The researchers concluded that taking a 4000 IU dose of vitamin D daily over the course of six months can help us use the insulin we produce more effectively, significantly reducing our risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

This research seems to indicate vitamin D does, in fact, have serious potential as an anti-diabetes vitamin. However, taking vitamin D is just one piece of the diabetes prevention and control puzzle. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating nutritious foods, and living an active lifestyle which includes plenty of exercise are of tantamount importance when it comes to preventing and controlling the disease.

Vitamin D can’t get you off the couch, but research has shown that when you do exercise, it may help your muscles perform better. A study conducted at England’s University of Manchester showed that adolescent girls with sufficient vitamin D levels outperformed those with vitamin D deficiencies on a wide range of tests designed to measure muscle power and force. Their findings suggest that vitamin d may help your muscles function at their best, and good muscle function can make exercise even more beneficial for your body.

If you have or are at risk for developing diabetes, vitamin D may be an important part of the picture on several levels. Discuss vitamin D and any other supplements you’re taking with your doctor, and follow his or her recommendations on controlling or preventing diabetes.

New Studies Confirm That High Vitamin D Levels Reduce Risk of Diabetes

webchick — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:45:26 +0000

New international research confirms that keeping vitamin D levels high may help reduce the odds of developing diabetes, particularly among those who are already at risk.

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder in which the body produces insufficient insulin to properly process glucose or blood sugar, is among the most widespread conditions in the US.

According to the Americal Diabetes Association, 25.8 million people in the US have diabetes, and an estimated 79 million people have prediabetes.

As of 2010, an astounding 1.9 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older each year.

Vitamin D Deficiency Identified As Important Factor In Diabetes Risk And Management

A growing body of research indicates that one of the most important but often overlooked risk factors for developing the disease is low levels of vitamin D, often referred to as the sunshine vitamin because exposure to sunlight triggers the body to produce its own supply of the vitamin.

It is believed that high levels of vitamin D improve secretion of insulin, which is necessary to allow cells to absorb and use glucose, as well as sensitivity to insulin. Low levels of the vitamin have also been found to increase insulin resistance, even among otherwise healthy individuals.

Two recent research projects confirm that keeping D vitamin levels high reduces risk of diabetes

A 2011 German study, conducted by the German Research Centre for Environmental Health in cooperation with the German Diabetes Center and the University of Ulm, showed that individuals with high blood levels of vitamin D have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus, while the risk for developing the disease is markedly higher among those with low levels of the vitamin.

According to the authors of the study, the anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D could be among the most important factors in reducing the risk of diabetes. The researchers noted that more than six million people in Germany have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, adding that it is likely that an equal number of undiagnosed cases also exist.

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in Germany, the researchers said, attributable in part to the nation’s geograpgical which makes it difficult to get adequate sun during the winter months and in part to modern, indoor-oriented lifestyles. The study authors said that if follow-up research confirms their findings, a targeted improvement in the supply of vitamin D to the general public could reduce the number of people at risk for developing diabetes.

The results of a new US study, conducted by Tufts New England Medical Center, echoed the findings of the German research. The Tufts study, which was recently presented at the American Diabetes Association 71st Scientific Sessions, monitored more than 2,000 patients with prediabetes over a period of three years.

The results showed that the risk for diabetes was lowest among those with the highest vitamin D levels, while risk for the disease was highest among those most deficient in the vitamin.

Research Review Confirms Link Between Vitamin D and Breast Cancer

webchick — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:54:44 +0000

New research confirms that the link between vitamin D and breast cancer is indeed a powerful one, suggesting that women with high levels of the vitamin could have a significantly lower risk of developing the disease.

One of the most recent reviews of the ongoing research on the vitamin D/breast cancer connection, published in the September 2011 issue of Anticancer Research, analyzed data from 11 case-control studies. The researchers combined the data from all of the studies to calculate the effect of vitamin D levels on the risk of breast cancer development.

The results of the data analysis indicate that high vitamin D levels definitely reduce the risk of breast cancer, with women whose blood levels were highest being at 50 to 70 percent lower risk for the disease than women whose levels of the vitamin were the lowest. These findings confirm the results of a large number of epidemiological studies, including geographical correlation studies, randomized clinical trials, and observational and laboratory studies that show vitamin D has a measurable impact on the risk for cancer.

The vitamin D/cancer link was initially discovered through geographical correlation studies, which compared cancer frequency and death rate of populations in northern and southern latitudes. These studies indicated that southern latitude populations that got more sun exposure had a lower cancer incidence and death rate than northern latitude populations. Researchers hypotheisized that the the production of vitamin D, which is stimulated by exposure to sunlight, could be causal.

These studies were followed by further investigation into the connection between the vitamin and the risk and severity of cancer development. Observational studies appeared to support the findings of the geographical correlation research (though their conclusions cannot be considered entirely accurate because of difficulty collecting precise dietary data).

One of the most significant observational studies involved over 6,000 Canadian women between the ages of 25 and 74. The data from the study clearly indicated that women who spent the most time outdoors had a significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who spent the least time outdoors.

In addition, a number of UK studies on the high mortality rate and poor health picture in Scotland (known as the “Scottish effect”) identified the country’s climate and lack of sun as an important factor. 2008 research correlates the generally low level of vitamin D among the population (roughly four times lower than that of the population in England) with the nation’s increased incidence of a number of diseases including cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Laboratory studies also support the vitamin D/cancer link, showing that the vitamin both promoted the death of cancer cells and slowed their proliferation. A 2010 State University of New York at Albany study, which included treating human breast cancer cells with a potent form of the vitamin, found that vitamin D has an effect similar to that of anti-cancer drugs such as Tamoxifen.

The US Recommended Daily Intake of the vitamin is 200 IU for adults to 50 years of age 400 IU for older adults. Many scientists are calling for a steep increase in RDI, with some suggesting a daily intake of as much as 2000 IU. Canada’s Institute of Medicine recently recommended that the Adequate Intake of vitamin D should be set at 600 IU for people up to age 70 and 800 IU for those over 70. These recommendations triple the IOM’s previous suggested AI of 200 IU per day for adults.

The IOM report also raised the safe maximum intake of the vitamin to 4000 IU per day for adults, doubling the previous recommended maximum intake level of 2000 IU per day.

Vitamin D Benefits For Breast Cancer: More Sun Exposure Equals Lower Risk

webchick — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:34:50 +0000

A new Canadian study on vitamin D benefits suggests that women who get just a few hours of sunshine each day have a significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer.

The study, performed by Cancer Care Ontario and funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance, involved more than 6,000 women from 25 to 74 years of age. It focused primarily on the effects of vitamin D produced as a result of sun exposure rather than dietary vitamin D, with a goal of determining whether there is a significant association between sun exposure and breast cancer risk.

The participants included about 6,000 women, roughly half of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The remaining women, who did not have the desease, formed a control group. Both groups completed questionnaires on breast cancer risk factors and dietary habits, and were asked to provide information about their amount of sun exposure during various periods of life (teens, 20s-30s, 40s-50s, and 60-75).

The analysis of the participant data indicated that women who spent the most time outdoors (more than 21 hours per week) had significantly lower risk of developing tumors than those who spent the least time outdoors (less than six hours per week). The results of the analysis were striking:

- Women who spent the most time outdoors during their teenage years had a 29% lower risk of breast cancer than those who spent the least time outdoors during the same period

- Women who spent the most time outside during their 20s and 30s had a 36% lower risk than those who spent the least time outdoors during the same two decades

- Women who spent the most time outdoors during their 40s and 50s demonstrated a 26% lower risk of breast cancer than those who spent the least time outside

- Women between 60 and 75 who spent the most time outdoors lowered their risk of breask cancer by an astounding 50% as compared to women of the same age who spent the least time outside.

The researchers noted that because most of the participants were Caucasian, further studies will be needed to determine if the results hold true for other ethnic groups.

In addition, the study did not take into account a number of other factors that could potentially effect the women’s risk for breast cancer. Noting that family history, general activity levels, and the onset ages for menstruation and menopause could all have some impact on breast cancer risk, the researchers said their influence would not chance the odds ratio by more than 10%.

More Vitamin D Benefits: Keeping Levels High May Prevent Cardiovascular Disease, Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer

webchick — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:58:17 +0000

A pair of new studies highlight even more vitamin D benefits for both sexes, indicating that keeping blood levels of the sunshine vitamin high may help prevent cardiovascular disease in men and could reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health, reported in the June issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that men who had a high intake of D vitamin (600 IU per day or more) were 28 percent less likely to have cardiovascular disease than men whose intake was low (100 IU per day or less).

The study analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which tracked over 74,000 women and more than 44,500 men from 1984 through 2006. All subjects were free of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the studies and by the conclusion 9,886 cases of cardiovascular disease had been identified.

The Harvard researchers said that after making adjustments for other risk factors, there was a definite correlation between high intake of vitamin D and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in men. Interestingly, though women with a high D vitamin intake were 16 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, the research found the association not statistically significant.

Another new study reported in the June issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that vitamin D deficiency may play a role in risk for breast cancer.

The research, led by Laura N. Anderson of Prevention and Cancer Control, Cancer Care Ontario, tracked the number of hours women of various ages spent outdoors and correlated the exposure to sunlight with breast cancer risk. The women were analyzed in four age groups of ranging from adolescence through mid-70s.

Using 6 hours a week outdoors as a base comparison, it was found that adolescents who spent 21 hours or more outdoors per week were 29 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Using the same comparison, women in the 20s-30s age group demonstrated a 26 percent risk reduction, while women in the 40s-50s group were at 39 percent less risk and women in the oldest age group showed an amazing 50 percent lower risk.

The study concluded that increased cutaneous production of vitamin D is associated with reduced breast cancer risk.

These studies are the latest of many indicating that D vitamin deficiency increases risk of a whole host of diseases and health conditions. In addition to cancer and cardiovascular disease, deficiency has been associated with increased risk of diabetes, autism, depression, multiple sclerosis, brain function problems, and autoimmune, kidney, periodontal, and hematologic diseases.