Vitamin D

[BertiWooster]

Is there evidence to show that taking vitamin D can -

- Cut the risk of common cancers , by a 1/2
- Reduce the risk of prostate cancer
- Reduce the risk of heart attacks / disease
- reduce the risk of diabetes

[Sqad]

<<<Cut the risk of common cancers , by a 1/2>>>
I have not seen any properly conducted trials to suggest any positive link.......so NO

<<<< Reduce the risk of prostate cancer>>>> No human studies, but interesting results in animals.............so NO (at the moment)

<<<<Reduce the risk of heart attacks / disease >>>>
Providing your Vitamin D levels in your blood are normal.....NO
If your Vitamin D levels are low then...................YES.

r<<<<educe the risk of diabetes>>>>

Again, providing your Vitamin D levels are normal then...............NO
If your Vitamin D levels are low..........................I don´t know.

Best I can do Berti

[LazyGun]

Obviously, all vitamins are important to a healthy life. Vitamin D plays a critical role in a wide range of bodily functions, from mediation /support of the immune system to maintenance of the skeletal system. The Recommended Daily Intake required for healthy functioning is miniscule - micro-grammes per day - so it is difficult to be deficient in healthy quantities. We can also synthesise more than the RDI with just a few minutes exposure to the Sun.Taking more than the recommended daily intake is unlikely to harm, but it is unlikely to do much good either, since extra quantities of the vitamin are just excreted from the body.


That having been said, of all the vitamins out there, as a resident of a western society in a largely overcast island, Vitamin D is one of the few vitamin supplements I might actually consider, especially if you have an unhealthy, bland or unvaried diet and live in particularly overcast areas of the UK , as I probably do :)

[joggerjayne]

Now I need a D fix.

I might have a sunbed at the gym this morning.

[sandyRoe]

Isn't that a dangerous way of getting vitamin D?

[beso]

There have been suggestions that low viatmin D levels are associated with increased risk of Multiple Sclerosis. This is because of the correlation between incidence of MS and lattitude. Tasmania (Australia) and Scotland have very high rates.

Also, the frequency of relapses in those with MS in remission occurs in winter. However no direct link has been established.

A sunbed is far more likely to induce skin cancer than any potential benefit. Vitamin D production stops after about ten minutes in moderate sunshine.

[BertiWooster]

I was watching a programme on an American channel last night , where they were stating Vit D had the above health benefits above which I have mentioned .

At first I thought it was a sales pitch - however they were offering these tablets for free .

[society]

Berti, the pills were offered for free but the catch is - you have to pay for shipping. Whose to say those pills are not placebo, they could well be not though.

[BertiWooster]

Have you seen the programme ?

[society]

No I haven't seen it Berti, but, I've seen many similar. That's usually their game - they jack up the price of shipping & handling.

[carmalee]

sunshine is brilliant and very theraputic - we are designed to live outdoors and as long as we aren't stupid about it (as shown by glowing radiant poms on the first sunny day of the year) the sun is a good thing!