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Vitamin D levels drop low in the winter months, compromising immunity, cardiovascular health, bone health, metabolism, and most importantly – increasing the risk for early death especially amongst older Americans. A new study shows that adequate vitamin D reduces the risk of all-cause mortality by 29%.
This new data reinforces an emerging scientific consensus regarding the importance of vitamin D. Several studies in the past year reached similar conclusions. Vitamin D deficiency is common around the world. Researchers estimated that correcting this deficiency by doubling the typically low vitamin D levels would result in a 20% mortality reduction. Other data shows that low levels of vitamin D in the elderly more than double their risk of cardiovascular mortality.
Depending on the lab, a “normal” range for vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D) can be anywhere from 20 to 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The general consensus is that normal is now in the range of 30 to 74 ng/mL. Many scientists now believe that optimal vitamin D levels are important for the reduction of disease, and propose targeting for a level of 50 to 70 ng/mL. Sometimes vitamin D lab tests are reported as nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) or you may read a study with such scoring, making it confusing. To convert ng/mL to nmol/L multiply by 2.5.
In the most recent study, the researchers did a meta-analysis involving 11 studies and 59,231 individuals. Comparing the highest quartile to the lowest quartile, the increased risk of early morality was 29%. As levels dropped below 30 ng/mL the risk for death went up in a linear manner. The researchers did not find that vitamin D levels above 35 ng/mL offered statistically significant mortality reduction, which is interesting because considerable data indicates that vitamin D levels towards the higher end of the normal range prevent many diseases – which is what I would try to achieve.
Fifty-percent of U.S. citizens have vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL and 40% have major deficiency (below 20 ng/mL). These problems are invariably worse in the winter.
Numerous new studies show the safety of vitamin D supplementation in ranges from 4,000 IU to 10,000 IU per day, with higher levels important in correcting sub-optimal levels of vitamin D. Do not run low of vitamin D, especially in the winter. Get your levels tested every now and then so you know where you stand.
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This new data reinforces an emerging scientific consensus regarding the importance of vitamin D. Several studies in the past year reached similar conclusions. Vitamin D deficiency is common around the world. Researchers estimated that correcting this deficiency by doubling the typically low vitamin D levels would result in a 20% mortality reduction. Other data shows that low levels of vitamin D in the elderly more than double their risk of cardiovascular mortality.
Depending on the lab, a “normal” range for vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D) can be anywhere from 20 to 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The general consensus is that normal is now in the range of 30 to 74 ng/mL. Many scientists now believe that optimal vitamin D levels are important for the reduction of disease, and propose targeting for a level of 50 to 70 ng/mL. Sometimes vitamin D lab tests are reported as nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) or you may read a study with such scoring, making it confusing. To convert ng/mL to nmol/L multiply by 2.5.
In the most recent study, the researchers did a meta-analysis involving 11 studies and 59,231 individuals. Comparing the highest quartile to the lowest quartile, the increased risk of early morality was 29%. As levels dropped below 30 ng/mL the risk for death went up in a linear manner. The researchers did not find that vitamin D levels above 35 ng/mL offered statistically significant mortality reduction, which is interesting because considerable data indicates that vitamin D levels towards the higher end of the normal range prevent many diseases – which is what I would try to achieve.
Fifty-percent of U.S. citizens have vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL and 40% have major deficiency (below 20 ng/mL). These problems are invariably worse in the winter.
Numerous new studies show the safety of vitamin D supplementation in ranges from 4,000 IU to 10,000 IU per day, with higher levels important in correcting sub-optimal levels of vitamin D. Do not run low of vitamin D, especially in the winter. Get your levels tested every now and then so you know where you stand.
More...