Benefits of taking a vitamin D supplement
There are several benefits to taking a vitamin D supplement, including Improving bone health: Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium, which is necessary for strong bones and teeth. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to weak bones and an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Boosting the immune system: Vitamin D plays a role in immune system function and may help to reduce the risk of infections.
Reducing the risk of certain diseases:
Some studies have suggested that vitamin D may play a role in reducing the risk of certain diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
Improving muscle function:
Vitamin D is necessary for muscle function, and a deficiency in vitamin D may lead to muscle weakness and decreased muscle function.
It's important to note that while vitamin D supplements can be beneficial, it's also possible to get vitamin D from natural sources such as sunlight and certain foods. It's always a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen. Vitamins are essential nutrients that play important roles in the body, and it is generally safe to consume them through a varied diet or through vitamin supplements.
Risk of taking vitamins supplements
However, it is important to note that it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and taking too much of certain vitamins can be dangerous.
For example, taking large doses of fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K) can be harmful because they can accumulate in the body and cause toxic effects. These vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissues, so it is possible to build up toxic levels if you take too much over a long period of time.
It is important to follow the recommended daily intake (RDI) for each vitamin, as listed on the label of the vitamin supplement or by your healthcare provider. Overdosing water-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins B and C) is less likely to be harmful because these vitamins are not stored in the body and any excess is typically excreted in the urine.
However, taking large amounts of these vitamins can still cause side effects and may interfere with the absorption of other nutrients.
It is always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new vitamin supplement, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking any medications. They can help you determine the right dosage and advise you on any potential interactions or contraindications.
A common deficiency in women
Half of all postmenopausal women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Hip fractures are common in the elderly and have serious consequences. More than 300,000 people in the US are hospitalized for hip fractures each year. Without treatment, one-year mortality is 70%; after surgery, the annual mortality is 21%. Patients may never return to their pre-fracture activity level and may not even regain the ability to walk. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening high-risk women aged 50-64 and younger, but their strategy has been tested and found to be slightly better than chance.
Vitamin D supplements are among the most popular supplements on the market. Most people can benefit from taking vitamin D. Since you are unlikely to get enough vitamin D from the sun and from your diet, vitamin D supplements will be a good idea for many individuals... They acknowledge that experts do not agree on what constitutes a normal level of vitamin D. Commonly accepted categories are:
Deficiency: < 20 ng/ml
Deficiency: 20-30 ng/ml
Sufficiency: > 30 ng/ml
But they warn that "normal" may not be optimal. Some authorities define optimal levels as 40-60 ng/ml.
They go a step further and recommend aiming for 50-80 ng/ml. They suggest getting your vitamin D levels tested repeatedly along with routine blood tests for a complete blood count and lipid profile.
The USPSTF has recommended vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent falls in community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older who are at increased risk for falls.
After reading such information, one should worry because who rarely go out in the sun and don't drink milk. who took calcium and vitamin D pills prescribed by his doctor for many years.
Recent research
Recent research says otherwise. There is much research linking low vitamin D levels to mortality, ADHD, depression, cognitive impairment, schizophrenia, diabetes, and some infectious diseases; but the evidence is mixed, often flawed, and of low quality. Increasing low vitamin D levels with supplements may not be effective in reversing these conditions. The evidence is summarized in the Wikipedia article on vitamin D.
The VITAL trial was a large placebo-controlled trial designed to investigate the cardiovascular and oncological benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in healthy adults.
Vitamin D supplements were found not to protect against the development of cancer or cardiovascular disease, falls, cognitive impairment, migraines, stroke, macular degeneration or joint pain – nor did they reduce body weight or BMI.
In another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the authors found no difference in the incidence of fractures between those who took vitamin D and those who took a placebo.
An accompanying editorial by two doctors, Steven Cummings and Clifford Rosen was titled "The Definitive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation."
They found
no significant between-group differences in fracture incidence among participants who were at high risk of fracture (ie, those taking osteoporosis medication
[1240 participants] or with a history of fragility fractures [2578 participants]).
And when vitamin D blood levels were stratified, even those with levels below 20 ng/ml did not benefit from supplementation. There was also no benefit at levels below 12 ng/ml, but the number of people in this group was small, so doubts remain.
Complications:
There were no significant differences in the incidence of hypercalcemia and kidney stones between the vitamin D group and the placebo group.
In light of the VITAL study and other recent research, the editors came to this conclusion
Providers should stop screening for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels or recommend vitamin D supplements, and people should stop taking vitamin D supplements to prevent serious diseases or prolong life.
They said the terms "scarcity" and "scarcity" should be reevaluated. And, of course, "adequate" levels of vitamin D have yet to be determined.
They pointed out that certain uncertainties remained. Blood tests may be useful for some severely deficient patients, such as those living in residential environments without sunlight, those with malabsorption, or those being treated for osteoporosis, which can cause hypocalcemia and may benefit from vitamin D.
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