The Health Diva

Regulation of bone health, calcium, and phosphorus retention.

The minerals calcium and phosphorus are critical bone components. These minerals form the bulk of a substance called hydroxyapatite, which accounts for over half of all bone composition.

Whilst bone health is regulated by many different substances in the body, including growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogens. The retention of calcium and phosphorus in the bone also points to the special importance of two bone health regulators, namely parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D.

Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to reduce the incidence of bone fractures in all age groups, even individuals who have already sustained fractured bones in the past.

Regulation of muscle composition and muscle function

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a key role in prevention of muscle weakness and prevention of falls, especially in older persons. Interestingly, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with too much accumulation of fat throughout muscle tissue, in such a way that muscle strength is decreased and physical performance is compromised.

Vitamin D deficiency is thought to play a key role in neuromuscular function and the relationship of muscle movement to nerve activity, nerve firing and nerve triggering of muscle contraction.

Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Prevention.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is more common in parts of the world far from the equator, where the sun wanes during winter. During that seasonal sunshine shortfall, it’s harder for the body to make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. With that in mind, British and Canadian scientists studied a gene variant that triples the risk of multiple sclerosis, and they found that that gene is sensitive to vitamin D.

Currently research into the role of vitamin D and reduction of  MS relapses,  has showed real promise.

One study followed two groups one taking an average of 100o iu per day and another group taking 14000- 40,000 iu per day. People given high-dose vitamin D, showed T cell activity dropped significantly, which  didn’t happen in people who took lower doses of vitamin D.

People taking high-dose vitamin D suffered 41% fewer relapses than the year before the study began, compared with 17% of those taking typical doses.

People taking high doses of vitamin D did not suffer any significant side effects.

Currently MS specialist recommend a minimum of 1000 iu per day of vitamin D 3 with 4000 iu per day considered to be a suggested dosage. A daily dose of 1200 mg of calcium was used along side the increased vitamin D.

Therefore increased calcium intake is recommended along side the vitamin D, since we cannot be sure that the results are not related to the effects of both vitamin D and calcium.

Regulation of immune function

There is increasing evidence of the immune boosting benefits of Vitamin D.

The largest study of its kind to date shows that vitamin D each and every day is what will keep the doctor away when it comes to the common cold or the flu. Lower levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk for respiratory infections, such as the common cold and the flu.

Asthma patients with the lowest vitamin D levels had five times the risk for respiratory infection.

Vitamin D’s role in immune regulation has revolutionized research in this area to such a degree that it is virtually impossible to investigate an autoimmune disease without considering the possible role of vitamin D. This statement holds true for health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and numerous other autoimmune conditions.

Regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular health

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be a significant risk factor for high pressure in a variety of studies, and risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy (called pre-ecclampsia) has also been associated with maternal deficiency of vitamin D.

The key role played by vitamin D in regulation of calcium metabolism is thought to be essential for effective heart functioning, preventing calcium from being ‘dumped’ in the heart tissue. In several studies, the ability of heart tissue to heal after an event like heart attack has been shown to suffer significantly in the absence of optimal vitamin D.

Regulation of insulin and blood sugar

Researchers are still establishing the exact mechanisms for vitamin D regulation of insulin metabolism and blood sugar balance, there is no doubt that vitamin D plays an important role in this area of body function. Vitamin D deficiency is clearly a risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes, and vitamin D levels have been associated with insulin secretion by the beta cells of the pancreas as well as insulin activity once released into the bloodstream, helping to prevent insulin resistance.

Prevention of cancer

The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention is a lively area of current research, and the mechanisms linking vitamin D to cancer prevention are not completely evident. Nevertheless, research has shown a clear role for vitamin D in prevention of the following types of cancer: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate, and rectal cancer.